National News

Ester Mbathera There are still barriers keeping aspiring aquaculture start-ups from entering the market. According to fisheries and aquaculture expert Alushe Hitula, financing and bureaucracy are but some of the challenges in the way of prospective development. “Namibia has an excellent policy framework for aquaculture development. However, there are still barriers to entry, such as finance and severe bureaucracy, for example, the aquaculture application process for aspiring aqua start-ups,” she said. Hitula was appointed to the board of directors of the World Aquaculture Society-African Chapter (WAS-AC) last week.  Her new role involves overseeing regional memberships, programs, and initiatives while contributing…

Allexer Namundjembo The extradition of a Namibian woman arrested in Zambia in October 2024, has been delayed.  The extradition of Chante Coetzee (38) was initially scheduled for 20 January 20. Coetzee was apprehended in Zambia after fleeing Namibia in a stolen vehicle with a South African accomplice.  She is facing charges of theft and violations of Namibia's Prevention of Organised Crime Act. The pair is accused of crossing into Zambia between 24 June and 2 July 2024 using unofficial border entry points without the vehicle owner's consent. Zambian authorities confirmed Coetzee’s arrest on 18 October 2024, after an Interpol notice…

Niël Terblanché Structural engineers are assessing the damage to a railway bridge over the Swakop River after a cross bracing came loose and collided with a passing cargo train. The incident, which occurred on Sunday night near Swakopmund, involved a train transporting cargo from Walvis Bay. Initial evaluations suggest that the damage to the railway infrastructure is minor. Abigail Raubenheimer, spokesperson for TransNamib, confirmed the incident. She stressed that no derailments or spillage of hazardous substances occurred. “We are relieved that no harm came to our personnel, the public, or the environment. Safety remains our highest priority, and a full…

Erasmus Shalihaxwe After securing maximum points in two away games over the weekend, newly promoted King Kaluma Palace Football Club (KK Palace FC) is confident about retaining their spot in the Debmarine Premier League by the end of the season. On Saturday, KK Palace defeated Mighty Gunners 2-1 at Otjiwarongo, followed by a 1-0 victory over Okahandja United in Okahandja.  These back-to-back wins lifted the team from the relegation zone to 11th place on the log with nine points from eight matches. Head coach Anderson Phiri said the team had to make significant adjustments after a challenging start to the…

Stefanus Nashama The Women and Men Network has lauded the Inspector General of the Namibian Police, Lieutenant General Joseph Shikongo for his decision to increase the recruitment quota of cadet constables from the network to ten members per region.  Ohangwena Region Coordinator Joseph Nakashona on Tuesday expressed gratitude, emphasising the government’s recognition of the network’s efforts in community crime prevention. "We thank General Shikongo for doing a wonderful job in linking us to the government through the network,” he said. We received the message regarding the recruitment of ten members from the network, and we truly appreciate this gesture. It…

Martin Endjala The First National Bank of Namibia (FNB) is tracing a 60-year-old pensioner who was defrauded of N$1.1 million last week by an unidentified suspect. According to police reports, the victim, a resident of Uukwamatsi village in the Okahao Constituency of the Omusati region, fell prey to an unknown method used by the suspect to gain access to her bank account.  Funds were then transferred to various FNB accounts without her consent. No money has been recovered yet, and investigations into the matter continue. FNB communications manager Kirsty Watermeyer said the bank is treating the case as a top…

Allexer Namundjembo Environment Minister and Swapo’s Secretary for Legal Affairs, Pohamba Shifeta, expressed hope that the recent Electoral Court decision to pause the LPM and IPC election court challenge until the Supreme Court’s ruling next month is not a delay tactic by the applicants. Speaking to the media outside the High Court on Monday, Shifeta said he finds the court's decision appropriate, given the circumstances that led to the suspension of the National Assembly election challenge proceedings. “As long as it is not just the applicants’ delay tactics because otherwise, it would result in a constitutional crisis. We need to…

Martin Endjala The Aranos Town Council has begun rolling out a prepaid water meter project to improve water service management, despite facing budget constraints. The council plans to install 1 000 prepaid electricity meters and 2 000 prepaid water meters by the end of 2025. The council’s chief executive officer, Gerson Tjitaura told the Windhoek Observer on Friday that the installation is intended for all residents of the town and is not targeting any specific section of the community. “The need for water and electricity connections is growing daily. This makes planning cumbersome even though we do it with budgetary…

Hertta-Maria Amutenja  The High Court has ruled that subpoenas issued by AR’s leader, Job Amupanda in the ongoing "Red Line" case are irregular and void, citing non-compliance with procedural deadlines set by the court. Vice-President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah and former Justice Minister Sacky Shanghala were among those subpoenaed to testify in the constitutional challenge brought by Amupanda against the Veterinary Cordon Fence, known as the Red Line.  The subpoenas, issued on 16 January 2025, came over a month after the court-ordered deadline of 13 December 2024. “The subpoenas issued out of this court by the plaintiff are not in compliance with…

Stefanus Nashama The European Union (EU) delegation to Namibia, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Namibian government, has launched a good governance programme to tackle corruption and enhance transparency in the country.  On Monday, the EU allocated approximately N$19.5 million to support the UNDP-led initiative, which will run from 2025 to 2028. The initiative seeks to promote sustainable development, accountability, and effective governance practices.  It also seeks to foster multi-stakeholder collaboration and advance critical reforms within Namibia’s governance systems. UNDP country representative Alka Bhatia highlighted the detrimental effects of corruption, saying that it undermines democracy…