Opinions – Page 10 – Windhoek Observer

28 Jul

BREAKING THE CYCLE: A BOLD MOVE FOR HIGH SCHOOL AND VARSITY YOUTH—ALIGN WITH MARKET DEMAND EARLY.

Opinions

By Sem Billy David I, _ A Youth leader and Regional Chairperson With graduate unemployment sitting at a shocking 36.9% in this country, it is evident we have an issue within our education system. As young learners and students assessing their high school and university prospects, it is imperative to recognize the myriad methods to shatter the cycle of unemployment and barely employment that so many people their age struggle with. One potential solution could be a daring move that intertwines acquiring specific vocational skills with the cultivation of natural abilities. The potential issue is that no one in current…

28 Jul

Liberation Movements – Past Their Sell-By Dates?

Editorial, Featured, Opinions

The former liberation movements of southern Africa – the ANC in South Africa, SWAPO in Namibia, the MPLA in Angola, among others – have gathered in South Africa under the lofty theme:“Defending the Liberation Gains, Advancing Integrated Socio-Economic Development, Strengthening Solidarity for a Better Africa.” On paper, it sounds noble. In reality, it reeks of irony. For decades, these movements carried the dreams of their people, leading struggles that dismantled colonialism and apartheid. They promised freedom, prosperity, and dignity. Today, however, many citizens look at them and ask: What liberation gains are left to defend? Liberation vs. Governance The transition from…

25 Jul

THE FIRST 100 DAYS OF PRESIDENT NANDI-NDAITWAH THROUGH THE LENS OF FREIRE AND UNGER’S EMPOWERED DEMOCRACY: FROM SYMBOLISM TO SUBSTANCE

Featured, Opinions

PAUL T. SHIPALE (with inputs by Folito Nghitongovali Diawara Gaspar) Abstract This analysis examines President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah's inaugural 100 days through the theoretical frameworks of Paulo Freire's conscientization and Roberto Mangabeira Unger's institutional reinvention. Moving beyond ceremonial assessments, this scholarly examination interrogates the substantive transformation of Namibian governance structures and the symbolic yet significant declaration of Nujoma Day. The analysis provides an honest evaluation of performance metrics while establishing a framework for understanding the trajectory from electoral promises to developmental praxis. Introduction: The Crucible of Transformative Leadership Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah first 100 days in office have marked a decisive shift in Namibia’s…

25 Jul

Let’s confront the spectre of tribalism before it consumes us

Editorial, Featured, Opinions

Tribalism is rearing its ugly head in Namibia. What was once whispered in hushed tones has now found a loudspeaker in burning food stalls, toxic social media narratives, and widening social fault lines. The recent incident in Otjinene — where food stalls belonging to Aawambo and Ovazemba people were torched, reportedly by members of the Ovaherero community — is not just an isolated act of criminality. It is a symptom of a deeper, more dangerous illness spreading through our national fabric: a growing sense of ethnic resentment. The background to this violent escalation is as tragic as it is telling.…

25 Jul

Stop studying the problem. Start equipping the youth.

Opinions

Nrupesh Soni I’ve been in too many rooms where “youth empowerment” is thrown around like confetti at a national pity party. Boardrooms, conference halls, panel discussions, and press releases—all overflowing with the language of potential. But when the talk is over and the confetti is swept away, nobody is handing over the tools. Let’s be brutally honest. We don’t have a shortage of ideas or intelligence among Namibian youth. We have a crisis of access. A deficit of trust. A paralysis of action. And most of all, we have a surplus of committees, reports, and roundtables. I've had the privilege…

24 Jul

When the Cost of Living Becomes the Cost of Life.

Editorial, Featured, Opinions

In recent months, Namibia has borne witness to a heartbreaking and deeply troubling trend: a spate of suicides among teachers — the very custodians of our children’s futures. These tragedies are not isolated incidents. They are echoes of a deeper national pain — one rooted in financial strain, psychological isolation, and a silent war waged every day in households across this country. The teaching profession has always demanded sacrifice: long hours, modest salaries, and an unwavering emotional investment in others. But when those giving so much to society find themselves drowning in debt, struggling to feed their families, and confronting…

24 Jul

Namibia must embrace its indigenous languages for unity, identity and justice

Featured, Opinions

Ndaindila Allexer Namundjembo In the heart of every nation lies its language. It shapes how people think, relate to one another, and understand the world around them.In Namibia, a land blessed with rich linguistic and cultural diversity, our languages are fading into silence, not because they are unworthy, but because our systems continue to elevate the colonial tongue above our own.It is time for Namibia to radically reimagine its language policy. We must embrace and institutionalise our indigenous languages, not just as national symbols, but as living and functional communication tools in governance, education and public life.Each region should be…

22 Jul

Beyond the feed: What social media gets right, and what it can’t do alone

Opinions

Angela Ndatipo A few years ago, social media was considered the new frontier in marketing and communication. Social media platforms promised brands a direct line to their audiences due to its setup of being fast, dynamic, and disruptive, in this respect it has delivered on this promise in more ways than one. The Government Institutions Pension Fund (GIPF) has embraced this new and emerging technology as it has become a vital tool to share news, views, updates, and can respond to queries, and speak to our members in an engaging, personal, and accessible manner to many. But here’s the one…

22 Jul

Windhoek’s tap water: Among the safest to drink in Africa

Opinions

Harold Bolla Akwenye The City of Windhoek would like to assure its residents and the broader public that our tap water is not only safe for consumption but is also ranked among the safest and most advanced in Africa—if not globally. Windhoek has long been a pioneer in sustainable water management, standing tall as the first city in the world to implement Direct Potable Reuse (DPR)—a highly advanced process where treated wastewater is directly returned to the drinking water network. Today, the Windhoek Goreangab Operating Company (WINGOC), which oversees the city’s state-of-the-art purification facility, continues to set global benchmarks in…

22 Jul

The quintessential intellectual-RBK

Opinions

Kae Matundu Tjiparuro I have purposefully titled this tribute to Rikondja Ben Karamata The Quintessential Intellectual. Because despite having been many different things to me during what I would say have been a short sojourn that I have been and come to be and know him, more than a good time, and indeed it has been a good time of knowing him. A good time while to many and most may have seemed like a time of socializing, it has been for me more a time of fertilising off his rich intellectual proclivities. During the time I have had the…