National News

Hertta-Maria Amutenja The president of the Namibia National Liberation Veterans Association (NNLVA), Ben Shikongo, has cautioned Namibians against insulting national and traditional leaders, saying such conduct threatens the peace achieved through the liberation struggle. In an interview with the Windhoek Observer, Shikongo said veterans would not allow insults to undermine leadership. “We are proud of our independence because our independence came from thick and thin, and we must be proud of the Swapo leadership and the PLAN commander for leading this noble undertaking until we got our independence. I know that there are those that are trying to kill the…

Allexer Namundjembo The office of the judiciary says it is working to address long-standing complaints about the lack of magistrates’ courts in several major towns across the country. Judiciary executive director Bernhard Kukuri, told the Windhoek Observer on Monday measures are underway to bring court services closer to communities. He revealed that in Omuthiya, Oshikoto region, a house has been secured to serve as a temporary court.  This will  divert cases that are currently heard in Ondangwa and provide immediate relief to residents. “We cannot build now, but the house that we have managed to acquire will now be used…

Allexer Namundjembo The principal of Mandume Primary School in Windhoek, Lesley //Hoebeb, has been accused of misconduct in a formal complaint lodged with the police. Teachers allege that //Hoebeb misused and removed school assets, including laptops, a printer, toilet paper, and stationery.  “Every Friday he goes home with the school printer for personal use,” the complainants wrote.  They further claimed that paper rims and maize intended for the school feeding programme were given to another school. The complaint also accuses the principal of creating division among staff by instructing some teachers not to speak to certain colleagues.   Teachers said this…

The country's green scheme irrigation projects are being held back by rigid budgeting systems and heavy reliance on imported agricultural inputs, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, and Land Reform (MAFWLR) has said. The ministry’s clarification follows recent reports questioning procurement expenditures, which it dismissed as false and misleading. Officials said the main challenge lies in a clash between the unpredictable nature of farming and the strict rules of government finance. According to the Ministry, the public procurement framework and the way budgets are allocated are “not well-suited to the dynamic and seasonal nature of agriculture.” Funds often become available…

Hertta-Maria Amutenja The Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA) has secured €5 million (approximately N$101.75 million) in funding from the European Union (EU) to support conservation and sustainable development.  The announcement was made at the recent 15th KAZA ministerial committee meeting held in Livingstone, Zambia.  Namibia’s environment, forestry and tourism minister, Indileni Daniel, led the country’s delegation. At the meeting, ministers from the five partner states approved unqualified financial statements for the 2023 and 2024 financial years.  They also endorsed the establishment of a Finance Experts Working Group to support future planning and reaffirmed their financial contributions to the…

Allexer Namundjembo  President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has urged businesses at the 24th Ongwediva Annual Trade Fair (OATF) to innovate, collaborate, and use the platform to expand into continental markets. Speaking at the official opening under the theme “Innovate – Connect – Prosper”, she also encouraged entrepreneurs, SMEs, and town councils to showcase products and build partnerships.  “I encourage all participants to use this platform to engage, collaborate, and forge partnerships that foster shared prosperity,” she said. Nandi-Ndaitwah described the trade fair as a vital platform for enterprise development, policy dialogue, and investment opportunities.  “Trade fairs are opportunities for business people to…

Hertta-Maria Amutenja Windhoek City Police deputy chief for operations, senior superintendent Eliaser Iiyambo, and his brother Simon have appealed a High Court ruling that ordered them to vacate land they seized from their late uncle’s widow. The case stems from the death of dentist Daniel Uutoni in March 2019. Uutoni had married Aili Ndapandameme Iilende in 2018, and the couple lived at their homestead in Okathitukambanda village near Okahao. After his death, the Iiyambo brothers allegedly evicted Iilende and her three children from the family homestead, locked the properties, and began occupying them. In October 2020, the Ongandjera Traditional Authority,…

Erasmus Shalihaxwe  The construction of the maternity ward at the Onandjokwe Intermediate Hospital is nearing completion.  The ward will open its doors on 20 October 2025.  The 120-bed facility, the first of its kind in the country, includes dedicated first and second stage rooms, doctors’ on-call rooms, a nurses’ lounge, reception areas, private rooms, gynaecology outpatient rooms, procedure rooms, and a specialised obstetrics and gynaecology theatre. Construction started in 2016 at a cost of N$60 million to address the shortage of maternity wards in the country, especially in the northern regions.  The project faced delays after the initial contractor failed…

Allexer Namundjembo The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) says it has not received a formal complaint regarding allegations of corruption at the Namibia University of Science and Technology (Nust). This follows claims of corruption, nepotism, and financial mismanagement at the university.  A 40-page dossier allegedly addressed to ACC director general Paulus Noa, accuses Nust vice-chancellor Erold Naomab and several senior officials of orchestrating schemes that syphoned millions of dollars from the institution through irregular procurement, abuse of authority, and reckless spending. According to the document,  Naomab surrounded himself with allies strategically placed in key positions, including Klemens /Awarab, special adviser; Browny Mutrifa,…

Hertta-Maria Amutenja Urban and rural development minister James Sankwasa has defended his decision to dissolve the Katima Mulilo Town Council, saying councillors failed to carry out their functions and engaged in an unlawful land-for-vehicles transaction. Speaking in Katima Mulilo on Wednesday, Sankwasa said the deal was invalid because land gains value while vehicles lose value.  In May, Sankwasa accused councillors of selling land without approval and ordered the return of vehicles acquired in the land-for-vehicles deal.  Councillors, including mayor John Ntemwa, denied wrongdoing and accused the minister of tribalism and interference.  Last month, more than 1 000 residents protested against…