National News – Page 514 – Windhoek Observer

03 Jan

RA impressed with 90 percent compliance over festive season

National News

Tujoromajo Kasuto Road’s Authority Transportation Executive Officer, Sidney Boois, says that the regulator has recorded 90 percent safety and traffic rules compliance post the festive season. The monitoring team covered the B1 south that connects windhoek to Keetmanshoop, B1 north between Windhoek, Otjiwarongo and Otavi. Additionally, the B2 between the capital and the coastal towns. Boois says that basesd on the situation on the ground at various check points and roadblocks there is a high compliance on the part of motorist. “We reflect that from the number of cars and drivers that we checked and would then analyse how sunctions…

03 Jan

Student leader blames policy makers on high failure rate

National News

Staff Reporter Benhard Kavau, the Secretary General of the Student Union(SUN) said ministers and the education ministry are to be blamed for the poor performance of the grade 11 and Advanced Subsidiary level learners. He has since called on leaders to stop foreign travels and to rather invest money into the educational systems. “The government especially those ministers need to stop with all those European trips where they are claiming Subsistence and Traveling (S&T) perhaps they should start attending virtual meetings and the money which they are wasting on flight tickets should instead be invested in education,” he said. According…

16 Dec

Namdia earmarks 2023 for “Namibianisation”

National NewsAlisa Amupolo, Namdia earmarks 2023 for “Namibianisation”

Tujoromajo Kasuto Namib Desert Diamonds (Pty) (Namdia) aims to create a brand that people can easily identify with as the entity transitions from its infancy stage and brainstorm a new branding sector and digital marketing for the country’s diamonds in 2023. Namdia’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Alisa Amupolo, says the company is entering a new strategic phase, and this is the first year of a five-year strategic plan. Moving from the infancy stage in terms of operational maturity, superior governance, and ensuring controls are in place, as well as implementing audit findings and refining its business model. She says particularly…

City drainage overwhelmed by heavy rainfall<br>..as businesses pay the ultimate price

16 Dec

City drainage overwhelmed by heavy rainfall
..as businesses pay the ultimate price

National NewsCentral Business District (CBD), City drainage overwhelmed by heavy rainfall, Roux-ché

Tujoromajo Kasuto Windhoek experienced a flurry of activity yesterday as residents and companies scrambled to save what little has been left of their homes and commercial facilities after torrential rains on Wednesday afternoon after the city’s drainage system was overwhelmed by the weight of the downpour. A flood that damaged some vehicles, numerous homes, buildings, and infrastructure, including the Wernhill Shopping Centre in the Central Business District (CBD), forced it to close for most of Thursday. The centre’s ground floor was completely flooded, and activities didn’t start up again until today’s late afternoon. Group Manager for Corporate Relations at Ohltaver…

Water and vector-borne diseases could spread<br>because of flooding

16 Dec

Water and vector-borne diseases could spread
because of flooding

National NewsBen Nangombe, City drainage overwhelmed by heavy rainfall, HIV/AIDS

Tujoromajo Kasuto The Ministry of Health and Social Services (MoHSS) is advising Windhoek residents to practice effective hygiene measures to reduce the risk of disease outbreaks. The ministry is conducting surveillance to detect water and vector-borne diseases. This includes, in particular, data monitoring for diarrheal diseases, vomiting, and water testing after the capital was heavily flooded on Wednesday night. Ben Nangombe, Executive Director of MoHSS, says floods are accompanied by the contamination of safe water sources, which compromises the sanitation of public hygiene. He adds that there is an increased risk of water-borne and vector-borne diseases, these include diarrheal diseases,…

16 Dec

Highs and lows for 2022

National NewsHighs and lows for 2022, Kayengona tarred road, Paulus Mbangu

Martin Endjala As 2022 is closing, its review indicates a mixed back of both positives and negatives and as 2023 looms many are anticipating it to be a better. Political analyst Henning Melber says there are neither any spectacular nor noteworthy positive or negative events. But a slight recovery from the shocks of the pandemic with ‘business as usual’. Remarking that Namibians have not made many advances in terms of human rights (neither when it comes to reproductive rights such as abortion nor to LGBTI rights) nor the reduction of poverty and other forms of marginalisation. He however indicates that…

15 Dec

Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing sectors’ growth dips

National NewsAgriculture, Forestry and Fishing sectors’ growth dips

Tujoromajo Kasuto The Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA), reveals that the Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing sectors fell by 8.8 percent in the Third Quarter (Q3) of 2022, owing to a drop in the sub-sectors of livestock farming and fishing, which dropped by 18.9 percent and 3.1 percent in real value added, respectively. The NSA notes that the value added to the sector in the Third Quarter (Q3) of 2022 was estimated to be N$3.2 billion in nominal terms, representing 6.4 percent of the GDP (GDP). Namibia’s export earnings from commodities in the ‘Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing sectors totaled N$3.7 billion, while…

15 Dec

Altogether 476 women abused in 11 months

National NewsAltogether 476 women abused in 11 months, Naftal Sakaria

Staff Writer At least 476 women were abused between January and November this year,nine more than last year’s records for Oshana Region. This has been revealed this week by Oshana Police Commander, Commissioner Naftal Sakaria, during the Commemoration of International Human Rights and Namibia Women’s Day at Uukwiyuushona Constituency in Oshana . In addition Sakaria says in 2021, 1074 men were violated and 95 women and 14 minor girls were raped in 11 months this year. Whereas 70 women, nine girls and 41 men were raped last year 2021. He advises men to cry in order to release emotions and…

15 Dec

ECN concludes amendment draft bill consultations

National NewsECN concludes amendment draft bill consultations, Evaristus Evaristus, Theo Mujoro

Martin Endjala Consultations by the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) on the Draft Electoral Amendment Bill has yielded positive results on proposed sections which many are in agreement with. ECN Electoral and Referenda Chief, Theo Mujoro, says the consultations took place this Wednesday and Thursday, comprising political parties and various civil society organisations. The proposed sections of the Bill will now be referred back to the commission for further consolidation. After the Bill will then be referred to the Ministry of Urban Rural and Development that would thereafter submit it to Cabinet before it is referred to the National Assembly…

15 Dec

Moses //Garoëb candidates in development choir

National NewsLiina Ndengu, Moses //Garoëb candidates in development choir

Obrein Simasiku Some candidates for Moses //Garoëb Constituency by-election are in chorus about water provision, electrification, sanitation, open markets and access roads. Two of them have pledged to surrender part of their salaries towards community upliftment. On the other hand, the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) says it’s all systems go as of tomorrow they will be printing the final ballot papers. The by-election consists of two independent candidates, Swapo Party, Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) and the Namibia Economic Freedom Fighters (NEFF), to battle it out on the 6th of January. “Everything is in place, lately we have been busy…