National News

Justicia Shipena  Urban and rural development deputy minister Evelyn !Nawases-Taeyele has called for a new central bus station and discussions on commuter trains as part of efforts to ease Windhoek’s public transport challenges. !Nawases-Taeyele said the proposals are necessary to improve accessibility and reduce congestion.  She spoke after joining residents on Wednesday for a “Commuter Ride Experience”, where leaders spent the morning using public transport under the theme “Leadership in Motion”. “We woke up early, stood at the bus stop, felt the waiting times, experienced the pace of traffic, and shared a seat on the bus just as thousands of…

Hertta-Maria Amutenja The Khomas Residents and Ratepayers Association (KRRA) has challenged the National Housing Enterprise (NHE) over a verification deadline set for 18 September 2025, calling it unfair to applicants who have waited decades for housing. KRRA spokesperson Shaun Gariseb said the association wrote to NHE acting regional manager Veginia Tjitemisa after receiving complaints from Windhoek residents and applicants currently out of town.  “We have written to NHE acting regional manager Veginia Tjitemisa to explain to us what the logic is behind having a due date when people have waited for 30 years,” Gariseb said. The association said some applicants…

Renthia Kaimbi Suspended Walvis Bay Rural constituency councillor Florian Donatus faces  imminent arrest over a fraud and theft case involving the Erongo Regional Council. The case, registered in Swakopmund, alleges Donatus used a council credit facility to procure goods worth N$116 464.31 during his tenure. Initial reports in July suggested unidentified individuals had used the same facility to buy items worth N$32 000.  Investigators now indicate that Donatus acted alone. He is accused of taking items from Metro Walvis Bay and charging them to the council’s refreshment account without approval from the council administrator. Erongo regional commander commissioner Nikolaus Kupembona…

Renthia Kaimbi An 81-year-old pensioner was arrested on Monday after police in the Erongo region found illicit tobacco products worth nearly N$100 000 during a routine traffic stop near Usakos. Senior inspector Judith Shomungula of the Erongo Police said officers searched a white Toyota Quantum with Swakopmund registration plates travelling from Oshakati towards Henties Bay.  They discovered 2 495 packets of “Yes” brand cigarettes. The driver, Namibian pensioner Rusia Ugwanga, was arrested for contravening Sections 16 and 17 of the Tobacco Products Control Act of 2010, which regulates the possession of illicit tobacco products. Ugwanga appeared before the Usakos Magistrate’s…

Justicia Shipena  The Namibian Inside Kids Association (NIKA) has asked parliament’s standing committee on constitutional and legal affairs to stop amendments to the Veterans Act of 2008 that would extend benefits to all children born in exile. In a letter dated 17 September 2025, NIKA said such changes would worsen the exclusion of Namibians born inside the country during and after the liberation struggle.  The association defines “inside kids” as all Namibians born within the borders of the Republic before and after independence, regardless of region or ethnicity.  It said these citizens have long faced economic hardship despite living through…

Hertta-Maria Amutenja The ministry of health and social services (MoHSS) has declared a measles outbreak in Opuwo District, Kunene Region. As of 12 September 2025, 20 suspected cases were reported, with 10 confirmed positive.  All patients are in stable condition, and no deaths have been recorded. Under national guidelines, two confirmed cases out of five suspected cases are enough to declare an outbreak. “Measles is a highly contagious disease that primarily affects children, but unvaccinated teenagers and adults are also at risk. The outbreak in Opuwo highlights the need for vaccination,” said health minister Esperance Luvindao. Measles symptoms usually appear…

Allexer Namundjembo A 33-year-old man accused of killing his two children in Onkani village, Omuntele constituency, was denied bail during his first court appearance in Ondangwa on Tuesday. The accused, Thomas Sheya, faces two counts of murder after allegedly twisting the necks of his children, four-year-old Ruusa Sheya and two-year-old Andreas Sheya, on Sunday night.  Magistrate Nelao ya France  refused granting bail citing the seriousness of the case, public interest, and the early stage of investigations.  The case was postponed to 23 March 2026 as police await postmortem results and continue with investigations. Sheya has opted for a state-funded lawyer.…

Renthia Kaimbi Tsumeb residents want acting chief executive officer Frans Enkali removed, saying his extended tenure is draining municipal resources. Enkali, a retired chief regional officer of the Oshikoto region, was appointed more than a year ago on what was meant to be a three-month contract to oversee the recruitment of a permanent CEO.  Despite interviews having been conducted before his appointment, the position remains vacant. The Tsumeb Concerned Residents Association, led by Lisken Claasen, is calling for his replacement by either a permanent CEO or an existing head of department. “We are tired of engaging a CEO that is…

Hertta-Maria Amutenja Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) vice president and Walvis Bay mayor Trevino Forbes will contest the Walvis Bay Urban Constituency seat in the upcoming Regional Council elections. The confirmation follows the party’s announcement of vetted candidates for both regional council and local authority elections. The announcement was made in a notice issued on 12 September 2025 by IPC national general secretary Christine Aochamus to all Regional Executive Committees. The notice confirmed that the vetting process for candidates had been completed. According to Aochamus, “All approved candidates shall proceed with elections in their respective Local Authorities. In constituencies where…

Hertta-Maria Amutenja The Roads Contractor Company (RCC) has stressed that affordable housing in Namibia will not be possible without serviced land. This follows the signing of a five-year memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the National Housing Enterprise (NHE) on Monday. The agreement between the two state-owned enterprises aims to speed up land servicing and housing delivery under the government’s sixth National Development Plan. RCC interim chief executive officer Dasius Nelumbu said the company’s role in road construction, water and sewer reticulation, stormwater drainage, and electrification is central to housing projects.  “Affordable housing is not possible without proper infrastructure. RCC’s role…