National News – Page 3 – Windhoek Observer

17 Oct

ECN disqualifies three presidential hopefuls

ObserverNational NewsAlly Angula, Else Ndapandula Chen, Jeremia Kaambo

Niël Terblanché The Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) announced the disqualification of three presidential hopefuls in the upcoming Presidential and National Assembly Elections scheduled for 27 November. In a statement issued on Thursday, the ECN said the disqualified candidates are Ally Angula, Else Ndapandula Chen, and Jeremia Kaambo. The Commission cited non-compliance with the nomination requirements outlined in the Electoral Act (Act 5 of 2014), particularly regarding the collection of registered voters’ signatures. In accordance with section 75(3)(b) of the Electoral Act, the public nomination process, which commenced at 09h00 on the 17th of October, officially closed at 11h00. “After…

17 Oct

NIPDB boss explains controversial rehiring of Balloti

ObserverNational News

Ester Mbathera During a recent staff meeting at the Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB), the chairperson and chief director, Nangula Uaandja, informed employees that Dino Balloti would be rejoining the organisation on a fixed-term basis. This is to give him time until he goes to parliament in March 2025. Ballotti is on the Swapo list of National Assembly candidates. “We asked Exco and everybody was unanimous and said, yes, we can have Dino join us for a few reasons. Number one, we still do not have an executive director. We are looking for that executive director with time…

17 Oct

‘Namibia has low levels of corruption’ – Prime Minister

ObserverNational NewsNational Anti-Corruption Strategy and Action Plan

Martin Endjala Namibia has relatively low levels of corruption, according to Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila. She made the remarks on Wednesday during the National Anti-Corruption Strategy and Action Plan (NACSAP) 2021-2025 Steering Committee meeting in Windhoek. “Since independence, the Namibian government has made significant strides in strengthening measures to combat corruption and promote effective governance. The government has achieved this progress by improving processes, systems, and institutions, she said. The country performed similarly in the 2022 Transparency International Corruption Perception Index, ranking 8th out of 54 African nations. In the 2023 Corruption Perceptions Index by Transparency International, Namibia ranked 59th…

17 Oct

Namibia leads Africa in gender equality

ObserverNational News

Niël Terblanché While Namibia continues to lead in many areas of gender equality, the country’s progress must be complemented by robust, actionable strategies to further improve the lives of all citizens. While addressing participants at the 7th High-Level Gender Advisory Committee Meeting in Windhoek on Wednesday, Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila hailed Namibia’s impressive progress in gender equality, announcing that the country has closed 80.2 percent of its gender gap. “According to the 2023 Global Gender Gap Index, this achievement places Namibia first in Sub-Saharan Africa and eighth globally,” she said. The premier expressed pride in the nation’s achievements in Education,…

17 Oct

Muinjangue dismisses NUDO-SWANU collaboration claims

ObserverNational NewsBarry Rukoro, The Electoral Act

Allexer Allexer The National Unity Democratic Organization (NUDO) president, Ester Muinjangue, has said that her party is busy with campaigning and has no time to waste on collaboration claims. This comes after a NUDO faction led by Barry Rukoro announced that NUDO and the South West Africa National Union (SWANU) have joined forces to collaborate in the November elections. Muinjangue on Wednesday told the Windhoek Observer that her party has no time to comment on these claims because she is busy campaigning. “The Electoral Act is clear that one cannot belong to two parties at the same time. So, we…

17 Oct

SADC PF public hearings aim to promote citizen engagement and regional integration

ObserverNational News

Moses Magadza SADC citizens will have an opportunity to engage their representatives within the Southern African Development Community Parliamentary Forum (SADC PF) on a range of issues when it hosts its 2024 public hearing session from 18 to 20 October. Joseph Manzi, the director of programmes at the SADC PF, said the public hearings seek to leverage the role of the SADC PF in facilitating citizen participation in regional integration, with the theme: “Leveraging the Role of SADC Parliamentary Forum in Facilitating Citizen Participation in SADC Regional Integration for Enhanced Accountability and Inclusive Socio-Economic Development and Cohesion.” The SADC PF…

17 Oct

Mbumba reports on recent diplomatic engagements

ObserverNational NewsPact for the Future, Sustainable Development Goals

Niël Terblanché President Nangolo Mbumba, upon returning from high-level diplomatic missions during a special meeting at State House on Thursday briefed the nation about Namibia's expanding role in global diplomacy and sustainable development. His report followed his return from the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and the Hamburg Sustainability Conference, where Namibia positioned itself as a key advocate for multilateralism, climate action, and economic reform. At the UNGA, President Mbumba co-facilitated the Summit of the Future alongside German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. “The summit, focused on advancing peace, sustainable development, and human dignity, resulted in the adoption…

17 Oct

Walvis Bay municipality backtracks on Independence Beach closure

ObserverNational News

Niël Terblanché The Walvis Bay Municipality has made a sudden pivot on its decision to close Independence Beach entirely during the upcoming festive season. A public notice circulated on Wednesday originally informed residents and holidaymakers that the beach would be closed due to planned upgrades of public facilities. This announcement, however, triggered an uproar across social media platforms, with many accusing the municipality of poor planning and creating chaos for those who had already booked holiday accommodation at the coast. The planned upgrade, which is part of the municipality's long-awaited initiative to improve public spaces, includes the development of a…

16 Oct

Collective action to combat hunger urgently needed

ObserverNational News

Niël Terblanché While Namibia battles the effects of climate change, global economic instability, and local challenges, the government and its partners, including FAO, are taking steps toward ensuring that no Namibian is left behind in the fight against hunger and malnutrition. The Ministry of Agriculture, Water, and Land Reform projects that from October 2024 to March 2025, more than 1.26 million Namibians, or roughly 48% of the population, will experience high levels of acute food insecurity. During the 2024 World Food Day commemoration in Gobabis on Wednesday, Omaheke governor Pijoo Nganate, speaking on behalf of Minister of Agriculture Calle Schlettwein,…

16 Oct

Schools struggling to accommodate Grade 8 learners

ObserverNational News

Ester Mbathera Six schools in the Khomas region have rejected Megameno Nghilongwa's son, who will enter Grade 8 next year. He is now facing a difficult decision to either send his child to a boarding school or relocate the family to another region. “It is frustrating. We weren't particularly selective when we applied. We applied to high schools that were either near our home or in the same direction as our place of employment. We received letters that we were unsuccessful. We applied to public schools out of town, and we were told that preference was given to children in…