National News

Allexer Namundjembo The newly formed Lüderitz Ratepayers Association (LRA), led by former Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) member and former Lüderitz mayor Phillipus Balhao, will not contest this year’s regional and local authority elections.  This comes after the  association missed the Electoral Commission of Namibia’s (ECN) registration deadline. Balhao confirmed the setback and ruled out standing as an independent candidate in the regional elections.  “I don’t have any plans to contest as an independent candidate for the regional constituency council. I felt my efforts would be more impactful at the town council,” he told the Windhoek Observer on Monday.  Balhao…

Hertta-Maria Amutenja Katutura Intermediate Hospital has received its first low-dosage lodox full-body X-ray machine, with calls for citizens to take ownership of the facility and protect it as a national health lifeline.  The N$13.2 million machine was donated by the Motor Vehicle Accident (MVA) Fund to the Ministry of Health and Social Services during an official handover in Windhoek yesterday. MVA Fund chief executive officer Rosalia Martins-Hausiku said the installation strengthens trauma care and urged communities to treat Katutura Hospital as a shared responsibility.  “Katutura State Hospital is more than a building – it is a lifeline. Citizens of Windhoek,…

Hertta-Maria Amutenja Urban and Rural Development minister James Sankwasa has urged local authorities to fast-track land preparation and allocation to meet the government’s informal settlement upgrading targets. Speaking at a land handover ceremony in Outapi on Friday, his advisor Boniface Mutumba delivered the minister’s remarks, saying the ministry was financing land development but expected councils to align their execution plans with central government requirements. The ceremony marked the handover of Land Hold Titles to residents under the Flexible Land Tenure System (FLTS), aimed at providing secure tenure for urban residents living in informal settlements.  Sankwasa said the system was created…

Justicia Shipena  Hyphen Hydrogen Energy says no purchase agreement was ever signed with German energy company RWE Supply and Trading (RWEST) for the planned green hydrogen project at Lüderitz. This comes after the Nama Traditional Leaders Association (NTLA) on Sunday said RWE had withdrawn from a deal to purchase ammonia from the project.  The NTLA said the decision was confirmed in a response to an inquiry it made together with international partners, including the Society for Threatened Peoples (STP), the European Centre for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR), Forensic Architecture (FA), and Minority Rights Group International (MRG). The NTLA and…

Justicia Shipena The Namibia Financial Institutions Supervisory Authority (Namfisa) says the rollout of the Financial Institutions and Markets Act (Fima) will not lead to changes in industry levies. Speaking at the launch of Namfisa's annual report on Thursday, Namfisa chief executive officer Kenneth Matomola said the current levy framework already accounts for the act.  “Our levy setting is fixed for five years in terms of our strategic period. So, we do not foresee any increase in levies. Even if Fima is implemented tomorrow, there will be no changes, because our strategy has already taken that into account,” Matomola said. Levies…

Allexer Namundjembo The Motor Vehicle Accident (MVA) Fund says it cannot increase the N$7 000 funeral payout to families of road accident victims. The fund explained that the amount is fixed by law. Speaking at a media conference in Windhoek on Friday, senior claims manager Helena Shilongo said the fund does not have the power to raise the payout.  “We can only make recommendations through our board. We can only make recommendations to the minister so that changes can be made,” she said. She explained that families are free to use the N$7 000 at their discretion. “We cannot demand…

Justicia Shipena  The Ondangwa Northern Tannery is set to produce 2 000 shoes per day once it becomes fully operational.  This follows a new agreement between the Ministry of Industries, Mines and Energy, the Namibia Industrial Development Agency (Nida), and Desert Planet Industries (DPI). DPI chief executive officer Doriano said the company will invest N$58 million for the 25-year lease and plans to employ about 1 000 people.  Doriano said the tannery has potential for revitalisation and growth.  "At Desert Planet Industry, we are fully dedicated to unlocking this potential to add value to Namibia’s economy,” Doriano said. The minister…

Justicia Shipena Environment, Forestry and Tourism minister Indileni Daniel says her ministry will assess whether preventative measures can be taken along the Chobe River following the death of 90 buffaloes in a stampede. The incident happened on 23 September when a herd of buffaloes, chased by lions in Botswana’s Chobe National Park, tried to cross into Namibia.  At the steep riverbank, the animals fell on each other and drowned. Fishermen discovered the carcasses in the early morning. Daniel said the assessment will focus on the riverside where the incident occurred but warned against altering the landscape.  “Our intention is not…

Justicia Shipena President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has called for the establishment of a sister city agreement between Philadelphia and a Namibian city or town to strengthen cooperation in education, trade, health, urban development, and cultural exchange. She made the call at Philadelphia City Hall on Thursday, where she was honoured citations from the City Council.  “It would allow our municipalities to learn from one another’s experiences, share innovative practices, and promote grassroots diplomacy that connects our citizens directly,” she said. Nandi-Ndaitwah highlighted opportunities for cooperation through maritime connectivity between the ports of Philadelphia and Walvis Bay, direct air links between the…

Allexer Namundjembo  The late liberation hero, Andimba Toivo ya Toivo, was honoured with a statue at Robben Island during the second reunion of political ex-prisoners on Saturday.  The event brought together former political prisoners from Namibia and South Africa and marked the unveiling of six statues, including Toivo ya Toivo's, as well as the awarding of commemorative medals to ex-Robben Island prisoners. Namibia’s delegation included speaker of the National Assembly Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, minister of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sports, Arts and Culture Sanet Steenkamp, and veteran politician Jerry Ekandjo. Delivering a message on behalf of President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, Steenkamp described the…