National News

Allexer Namundjebo  The interim executive chairperson of the National Youth Council (NYC), Beverly Silas-Garas, says allegations questioning the legality of her appointment are part of a smear campaign. Silas-Garas dismissed allegations challenging the legality of her appointment, calling them a politically motivated campaign aimed at undermining her credibility ahead of the NYC board appointments scheduled for 19 June. In a statement released on Tuesday, Silas-Garas said her appointment is fully compliant with the country's governance laws, including the Public Service Act of 1995 and the Public Enterprises Governance Act of 2019. “These coordinated allegations are not only misleading but also…

Justicia Shipena The Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN) has fully met five out of ten strategic objectives set in its 2023/24 Annual Business and Financial Plan (ABFP).  However, three of its objectives are lagging behind.  Cran recorded an overall implementation rate of 83% for its strategic initiatives and an organisational performance rating of 3.86 out of 5. Cran announced the figures on Tuesday in its latest performance appraisal report. The report evaluates the effectiveness of the Cran board of directors from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024. The chairperson of the Cran board, Tulimevava Mufeti, said the appraisal…

Justicia Shipena  The Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) has recruited 845 polling officials for the upcoming by-election in five constituencies.  The by-election is scheduled for next week in Grootfontein, Kabbe South, Kamanjab, Otjiwarongo, and Sesfontein. The ECN announced the recruitment on Tuesday, along with the start of training for the selected officials.  ECN corporate communications and marketing manager De Wet Siluka said the five-day training sessions began on Monday.  The training is taking place in Grootfontein, Katima Mulilo (for Kabbe South), Kamanjab, Otjiwarongo, and Opuwo (for Sesfontein). Siluka said the training will end on 14 June and covers electoral laws…

Justicia Shipena  Come October, researchers across Southern Africa will gain access to a new digital platform that centralises climate data.  The SASSCAL Climate Service Gateway, developed by Southern African and German researchers, will be unveiled at the SASSCAL 2.0 Research Programme conference in Luanda, Angola. The portal will house climate data sets and model projections tailored for the Southern African region.  It will include variables such as minimum and maximum temperatures, humidity, wind speed, as well as derived indicators like heat wave days, high fire danger days, drought indices, and precipitation events.  Researchers will be able to download complete or…

Niël Terblanché The Namibia Youth Energy Forum (NYEF) has taken a determined step toward increasing youth involvement in the country’s energy sector by engaging with the Presidency. On Monday, NYEF met with senior advisors at the State House. The meeting followed an invitation from President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah and was hosted by the Upstream Petroleum Unit in the Presidency. NYEF representatives met with Cornelia Shilunga, special advisor and head of the unit, along with deputy head Carlo Lord Muhamed McLeodas and technical assistant Joseph Amakali. The NYEF delegation included Advisory Board Chairperson Miguel Hamutenya, Vice-Chairperson Gisela Sebastiao, Advisory Board Member Olavi…

Hertta-Maria Amutenja The minister of home affairs, immigration, safety and security, Lucia Iipumbu, says the country is struggling with old and unsafe correctional facilities. Iipumbu made this statement during the fifth English-speaking Regional Workshop on Prison Infrastructure in Africa, which was held in Windhoek on Monday.  “We are grappling with old and dilapidated prison facilities, making them unsafe and inhumane to accommodate inmates,” Iipumbu said.  She said the Correctional Service Act of 2012 gives the legal basis for improving prison infrastructure.  “To support this shift, we have embarked on infrastructure projects at the Windhoek, Hardap, and Evaristus Shikongo correctional centres,”…

Hertta-Maria Amutenja The City of Windhoek has allocated about N$250,000 for a survey on the operations and socio-economic impact of shebeens across the capital.  The survey will run from June to September 2025 and will be conducted in partnership with the Namibia University of Science and Technology (Nust). City spokesperson Lydia Amutenya said the budget covers logistics such as fuel and transportation, advertising, public outreach, and compensation for the Nust researchers contracted to carry out the survey. The municipality said the survey aims to gather data to guide the development of a new Shebeen Policy.  This policy will support improved…

Niël Terblanché Namibia is preparing to begin work on its largest solar photovoltaic (PV) power station, an ambitious 100 MW facility known as the Sores |Gaib Power Station, roughly 33 kilometres northwest of Rosh Pinah in the Karas Region. The initiative, led by the national utility NamPower, is a vital step in the country’s efforts to reduce dependence on imported electricity and expand its renewable energy presence. The groundbreaking ceremony set for Thursday, 19 June 2025, will officially launch construction, which is expected to take approximately 18 months, culminating in commissioning by the second quarter of 2026. NamPower has contracted a Chinese-led joint venture,…

Allexer Namundjebo  The University of Namibia (UNAM) says only 38 students will be temporarily relocated from its hostel to make way for the African Union Sports Council (AUSC) Region 5 Youth Games. Namibia will be hosting the games, which are scheduled for 4 to 13 July.  On Monday, the university responded to growing concern among students and student leaders about a reported directive requiring some hostel residents to vacate their rooms ahead of the games. Unam spokesperson Simon Namesho said the university is not evicting students but relocating a small number to allow for renovations and to accommodate more than…