Observer Money – Page 281 – Windhoek Observer

22 Apr

Geingob appoints new ministers

Observer MoneyAlbert Kawana, Derek Klazen, Frans Kapofi, president Hage Geingob

Staff Writer President Hage Geingob has moved Home Affairs Minister, Frans Kapofi, to the Ministry of Defence and Veterans Affairs as Minister replacing Peter Vilho who resigned from the position amid allegations of illicit proceeds in an undeclared Hong Kong bank account. Vilho served as minister for a year and a month, after he was appointed by Geingob in March 2020. Kapofi will be replaced by Albert Kawana as the new Home Affairs Minister. Urban and Rural Development Deputy Minister, Derek Klazen, has been promoted to head the Fisheries Ministry. Former Home Affairs Deputy Minister, Maureen Hinda-Mbuende, bounces back as…

21 Apr

Boarding, High schools fingered for spiking COVID-19 cases

Observer MoneyArts and Culture, Covid-19, Ministry of Education

Kandjemuni Kamuiiri Boarding and high schools have been fingered as the main culprits in the spread of Covid-19, amid a spike in learner cases, the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture has revealed. “We want to determine why there is such a high spike in the number of learners, because we find that it’s mostly in boarding schools. But we also want to see what it is that the schools are doing right and what it is that they need to improve,” the Ministry’s Executive Director (ED), Sanet Steenkamp, said adding that disregard for COVID-19 regulations was found to be…

21 Apr

Venaani demands answers from Parliament

Observer MoneyBernardus Swartbooi, Henny Seibeb, McHenry Venaani, Parliament

Andrew Kathindi Parliament's Privileges Committee Vice Chairperson and leader of the official opposition, McHenry Venaani, has accused Parliament of keeping him in the dark over what it plans to charge Landless People's Movement (LPM) leader, Bernardus Swartbooi, and the party's second-in-charge, Henny Seibeb. This comes as a meeting which was scheduled to discuss the fate of two lawmakers did not take place on Tuesday, with Venaani stating that he was not even informed about the postponement. "I find it very strange that two meetings are postponed and I am the Vice Chair of the meeting and I am not being…

20 Apr

Quest for Inclusive Health Care Framework …as SADC MPs demand action on Intellectual Property, TRIPS flexibilities

Observer MoneyBotswana, Covid-19, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, SADC Members of Parliament, Seychelles

Moses Magadza WINDHOEK - The COVID-19 global pandemic has amplified the need to address issues related to Intellectual Property (IP) and human rights as well as for taking steps to benefit from TRIPS flexibilities to ensure access to medicines for all. As Least Developed Countries (LDCs) join the rest of the world in rolling out COVID-19 vaccines, there are concerns over access, transparency, equity and human rights violations. Against this backdrop, SADC Members of Parliament last week called for all hands on board to build the region’s capacity to produce medicines and to ensure that citizens benefit from their vast…

20 Apr

Debmarine Namibia donates 2nd N$ 3.6m Covid-19 testing machine

Observer MoneyDebmarine Namibia, Namibia Institute of Pathology (NIP), UNAM Hage Geingob Campus, University of Namibia

Staff Writer Debmarine Namibia in partnership with the University of Namibia, in addition to the initial machine availed at the launch of the lab in August 2020, recently sponsored a second PCR machine in effort to accelerate the country’s Covid-19 testing capacity at cost of N$ 3.6 million. The PCR laboratory is based at the UNAM Hage Geingob Campus and managed by the School of Medicine. Apart from the PCR Covid-19 testing system, the additional laboratory testing kit comes with power protection equipment for the purpose of safeguarding the system against power surges, and also to protect computer equipment and…

20 Apr

Same-sex couple loses court bid

Observer MoneyHigh Court Judge, Philip Lühl, Supreme Court, Thomas Masuku

Rose-Mary Haufiku High Court Judge, Thomas Masuku, on Monday dismissed an urgent application by same-sex couple, Philip Lühl, and Guillermo Delgado, to have their recently born twin daughters, currently in South Africa, granted emergency travel documents. In their application, Lühl, Namibian, and Delgado, Mexican, were seeking an order compelling Minister of Home Affairs, Frans Kapofi, to grant the children travel documents to travel to Namibia. The Judge argued that the court would be overreaching if it were to grant the order. In the ruling, the High Court held that the applicant ought to have filed an application for the issuance…

20 Apr

Katjavivi bars Swartbooi, Seibeb from Parliament

Observer MoneyBernardus Swartbooi, Henny Seibeb, Parliament, Peter Katjavivi

Andrew Kathindi Landless People’s Movement (LPM) Leader, Bernardus Swartbooi, and the party’s Parliamentary Chief Whip, Henny Seibeb, have been barred from attending Parliament by Speaker of the House, Peter Katjavivi after they were forcibly removed from the Chambers last week. Swartbooi and Seibeb were not in Parliament for Monday’s session. "In the meantime, the Speaker ruling of Thursday, 15 April, 2021, that the two Members of Parliament (MPs) are withdrawn from the Chamber remains in force until it is set aside on the recommendation of the Standing Committee on Standing Rules and Orders and Internal Arrangements. Further penalties will be…

16 Apr

ReconAfrica makes onshore oil and gas find in the Kavango

Observer MoneyReconnaissance Energy Africa

Staff Writer Listed Canadian oil and gas company, Reconnaissance Energy Africa announced on Thursday that it has found oil and gas indicators and shows over three intervals at its first well onshore the Kavango. The well according to the company, found more than 200 metres of indicators and shows. “The components and processes for a working petroleum system are all present, “ReconAfrica’s board member Dan Jarvie. Jarvie said shows indicated “migrated, thermogenic petroleum” had been found over three intervals in the Kavango Basin well. “Mud gas results indicate a high BTU gas with the presence of light oil in numerous…

16 Apr

Uutoni, Jooste in the dark over NHE suspensions

Observer MoneyNational Housing Enterprise (NHE)

Rose-Mary Haufiku The two line ministers under which the National Housing Enterprise (NHE) falls under, Erastus Uutoni and Leone Jooste are not aware that the company’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Gisbertus Mukulu, had suspend four of the enterprise’s senior managers. Mukulu’s action, which has been seen as retaliation, comes after the managers had formally written a letter to company’s board chaired by recently appointed NamRa boss, Sam Shivute, questioning the CEO’s competence. Public Enterprises Minister, Leone Jooste whose ministry is charged with ensuring corporate governance is followed in government institutions, said he had not been consulted on the decision. “I…

16 Apr

AstraZeneca finally arrives …as ministry misses vaccination target

Observer MoneyAstraZeneca, Covid-19, Health Ministry Deputy Executive Director, Petronella Masabane

Kandjemuni Kamuiiri Namibia is set to get more doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, with the much-awaited AstraZeneca expected to arrive in the country Friday morning. According to Health Ministry Deputy Executive Director, Petronella Masabane, the consignment will be the first of three tranches of doses the country will be expecting. “First tranche of 24 000 doses will be landing. Next week expecting more and the rest of the allocation in May from COVAX, also exploring other pipelines," Masabane said. The arrival of the vaccine, which is being sourced under COVAX facility, comes more than three months after it was initially…