National News

Netumbo on mission to promote trade with Angola

Netumbo on mission to promote trade with Angola

Tujoromajo Kasuto A memorandum of understanding on trade cooperation was signed between the business chambers of Angola and Namibia. Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister Of International Relations and Cooperation, who signed the agreement during a visit to Angola this week says the agreement is to promote trade and investment between the two neighbours. The Deputy Prime Minister was on a trade and investment promotion mission to Angola. “It is a fact that an agreement without implementation is just as good as no agreement. We therefore call on those responsible to ensure the full implementation of those instruments.” She…
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Transport, food costs to push inflation higher

Transport, food costs to push inflation higher

Tujoromajo Kasuto Prices of goods and services are expected to increase as Namibia's overall inflation is projected to average around 4.4 percent for 2022 and 4.5 percent in 2023, up from 3.6 percent recorded in 2021. Bank of Namibia’s Governor Johannes !Gawaxab says although the overall inflation remains within a reasonable range, food and transport is expected to increase in the near future and may continue to have a disproportionate effect on the low-income segment of the society and therefore require close monitoring. The increase in inflation is mainly driven by higher prices for food, transport and housing. “This was…
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Prosecutors overworked, underpaid – Imalwa … as Geingob bemoans slow finalisation of cases

Prosecutors overworked, underpaid – Imalwa … as Geingob bemoans slow finalisation of cases

Eba Kandovazu PROSECUTOR General Martha Imalwa says that prosecutors in the country are overworked and underpaid with no administrative staff to ease their workload, which contributes to the slow finalisation of court cases. This plunges the prosecutors into having to work after hours to ease the administrative burden placed upon them by default," Imalwa pointed out. Last week, President Hage Geingob expressed disappointment in the slow finalisation of cases during the opening of the Legal Year, emphasizing that 'justice delayed is justice denied'. Imalwa revealed that internal investigations conducted by her office found that a number of prosecutors at the…
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Nampower to increase renewable energy into national grid by 2023

Nampower to increase renewable energy into national grid by 2023

Tujoromajo Kasuto The 20MW Omburu Solar PV plant, which is expected to be completed in March of next year. The plant is being built by Hopsol Africa (Pty) Ltd and Tulive Private Equity JV, to supply clean renewable energy to 20,000 households via the NamPower grid. The solar power plant will consist of 33,000 solar panels and 100 inverters. The panels will be mounted on 67 single-axis trackers that follow the movement of the sun from east to west. The project's main goals are to lower the total Nampower tariff for customers by delivering affordable "new-build" renewable energy to the…
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Kahungu frontrunner in top SPWC job

Kahungu frontrunner in top SPWC job

Martin Endjala THE Swapo Party Women’s Council (SPWC) secretary position is intensifying as the women’s congress days near. The current deputy secretary Fransina Kahungu and gender ministry official, Katrina Liswani are the two frontrunners to replace the outgoing secretary Eunice Iipinge. Insiders say, the majority of regional delegates favour Kahungu. Sources say the former Swapo Party Secretary General Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana and former (SPWC) secretary Petrina Haingura are behind Liswani, while Kahungu allegedly have the backing of deputy vice president of (SWAPO) Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah. Kahungu is alleged to have more support in the Zambezi and the two Kavango regions, as well…
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Namibian students in Russia, Ukraine panic amid war fears

Namibian students in Russia, Ukraine panic amid war fears

Eba Kandovazu A MEETING between Namibia's Ambassador to Russia, Clemens Kashuupulwa and hundreds of Namibians studying in Russia and Ukraine yesterday has left many in a state of uncertainty, after the ambassador informed them that the Namibian government has made no arrangements for their evacuation, should the war between the two host countries breakout. Etuweda Hiwete, a medical student at the National Pirogova Memorial Medical University in Vinnitsa, Ukraine told the Windhoek Observer newspaper that Kashuupulwa, during the virtual meeting, called on students to remain calm. According to her, local media reports suggested that the Namibian government would fund the…
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Namibia emerges from Fourth Wave

Namibia emerges from Fourth Wave

Martin Endjala In today’s 40th Covid-19 briefing at State House by the Vice President Nangolo Mbumba, the Ministry of Health and Social Service Kalumbi Shangula, has announced that the fourth wave of omicron has ended. “We can now say that we have emerged from the fourth wave. However, the pandemic itself is not over,” the minister proclaimed. The Vice President Nangolo Mbumba on his part emphasized the need to continue sensitizing the public and encouraged trade unions, youth organization, spiritual leaders and business fraternity to continue following all Covid-19 health protocols. The maximum persons at public gatherings has been increased…
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Saleh ASSI GETS AROUND U.S. SANCTIONS

Saleh ASSI, a Libanese national who has been under embargo by the American treasury and is not allowed to exercise any commercial activities due to said sanction, has found other means to escape the surveillance and vigilance of the justice system. The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) took action against Saleh ASSI a Lebanon and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)-based money launderer and his affiliated companies, including those that have generated tens of millions of dollars for Hizballah, its financiers, and their malign activities. “These designations,” according to OFAC, “…underscore the extent…
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Should the court decide employee work orders?

The Shoprite strike is a sign of a healthy democracy. Workers have the right to organize and insist on their priorities. When a legal dispute is declared there are laws in play that must be respected by all sides. The concern is the initial ruling of Judge Shafima Ueitele. He interdicted Shoprite from redeploying existing employees to do the work of an employee who was out on strike. Such a sweeping decision is rightfully under appeal. Its ramifications for all businesses in Namibia are severe. Firing workers legally on strike and then hiring outside ‘scab’ labour is illegal. The unclear…
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Land issues in 2021 will no longer wait

The time to get something going on land redistribution and land reform is now. 2021 is the time for the new normal. The same old meetings, platitudes and fake solutions are bankrupt. The people who want land for themselves (there is little concern about a national policy) are tired of waiting. Decision-makers must think about land reform differently and begin to enact even partial solutions, now. Land grabbing cannot be allowed. Forced redistribution of private land owned by others even with the compensation offered, is illegal in most cases. It is unpolitic to make these statements bluntly, but it must…
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