Opinions – Page 13 – Windhoek Observer

09 Dec

Tribute to Her Excellency Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings, a pan-African legacy of courage, leadership and feminine strength

Opinions

PAUL T. SHIPALE (with inputs by Folito Nghitongovali Diawara Gaspar) With solemn respect and heartfelt sorrow, we stand with the people of Ghana, with the Rawlings family, and with all Africans whose lives were touched by the extraordinary legacy of Her Excellency Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings. Her passing marks not only the departure of a former First Lady but also the transition of a woman whose presence redefined service, transformed communities, and left an imprint on the very trajectory of African social and political progress. As Ghana grants her the honour of a state funeral, our reflections extend far beyond her…

09 Dec

Namibia’s diplomacy must serve the nation, not factional interests

Editorial, Featured, Opinions

President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah’s commissioning of seven new heads of mission signals an important moment for Namibia’s diplomatic future. The appointments, to Nigeria, Belgium, Zambia, Ghana, Japan, Egypt, and Zimbabwe, arrive at a time when the nation is recalibrating its foreign policy to centre economic diplomacy, investment attraction, and strategic global partnerships. The President’s message was clear and firm: these envoys must prioritise national development interests and project a credible Namibian profile to the world. The newly appointed ambassadors deserve sincere congratulations. Walde Natangwe Ndevashiya, Alfredo Tjirimo Hengari, Goms Menette, Ndiyakupi Nghituwamata, Rosina //Hoabes, Weich Murcle Uapendura Mupya, and David Thomas…

08 Dec

IN A WORLD OF GIANTS AFRICA CANNOT BE A PAWN IN THE BATTLE FOR SOVEREIGNTY

Opinions

PAUL T. SHIPALE (with inputs by Folito Nghitongovali Diawara Gaspar) Why are African leaders so silent? Why, at a moment when the continent’s dignity is being tested, do so many African Heads of State seem content to look away, turning a deaf ear as if nothing is happening? Why is there no united front, no public indignation, no clear voice defending the sovereignty of Africa’s people? These questions are not asked to provoke disrespect but to expose a painful truth: African leadership risks becoming complicit through silence. Steve Biko warned us about this long ago. “The most potent weapon in…

08 Dec

The death of arts and culture in Namibia: A crisis of custodianship

Opinions

Recently, I received a visit from a Nigerian colleague who had travelled to Namibia to consult on nationhood branding.As we walked through Windhoek’s central district, he stopped abruptly, surveyed the cityscape, and asked with visible confusion, “Where are your cultural markers?” A few minutes later, after observing more concrete, glass, and corporate branding than any trace of Namibian cultural presence, he looked at me and said, “You guys are so culturally cautious that you are killing your identity.” His remark, although delivered lightly, struck me with unexpected force. It was embarrassing, not only because he was right, but because his…

08 Dec

AfDB’s N$30.3bn commitment: opportunity or oversold promise?

Editorial, Featured, Opinions

The African Development Bank’s approval of N$30.3 billion for Namibia under its 2025–2030 Country Strategy Paper is, without question, one of the most significant financial commitments the nation has seen in recent years. Headlines have naturally celebrated the investment as a major win; “economic transformation”, “human capital development”, “strategic infrastructure”, and other familiar phrases have again taken centre stage. But as with all large-scale development financing, the real question for Namibians is simpler and far more urgent: What, exactly, will this money do, and for whom? The language surrounding the allocation is predictably polished. The AfDB highlights “inclusive growth”, “economic…

07 Dec

The limits of courtesy: What modern diplomacy requires and classical diplomacy provides

Opinions

PAUL T. SHIPALE (with inputs by Folito Nghitongovali Diawara Gaspar) The analysis of minister Selma Ashipala-Musayi’s response to the United Kingdom’s concerns offers a lens through which to examine how diplomacy itself has evolved and what this evolution means for states navigating an increasingly complex global environment. While the minister’s position reflects honourable and historically significant diplomatic virtues, the global system in which these virtues operate has transformed. This episode illustrates a broader lesson for contemporary foreign policy: classical diplomatic principles remain necessary, but they are no longer sufficient. Diplomacy has shifted from a state-centric model to a networked system…

05 Dec

From councils of elders to committees of convenience: Namibia’s task force dilemma

Featured, Opinions

PAUL T. SHIPALE (with inputs by Folito Nghitongovali Diawara Gaspar) In traditional African communities, pressing challenges were addressed by councils of elders – small groups of trusted, wise individuals who diagnosed problems and proposed solutions. Modern African governments have mirrored this model through task forces: ad hoc committees created to tackle crises in health, economics, corruption, energy, and national security. Typically appointed by presidents, cabinets, or ministers, these bodies are meant to act faster than bureaucracy, mobilise expertise, and recommend actionable reforms. Task forces in theory and reality At their best, task forces are problem-solving engines that: • Gather high-level…

05 Dec

YOUNG OBSERVER | Youth Spotlight: William Minnie

Featured, Opinions

Young Observer caught up with the youngest and newly elected local authority councillor, William Minnie, of the Mariental Constituency. You have just become one of the youngest councillors in the country. What was the decisive moment that pushed you from being an engaged young person to actually contesting for office? My journey into leadership began long before I ever imagined myself in public office. I was raised in Mariental since birth by my late father, my grandparents and my two aunts, who created a home filled with discipline, compassion, and a deep sense of responsibility to others. My late father…

05 Dec

YOUNG OBSERVER | #Unmuted

Featured, Opinions

December has arrived with the familiar brightness of warm weather, crowded calendars and a soft expectation that the mood of the country should somehow lift. The festive season in Namibia always brings its own rhythm: towns get louder, families gather, travel plans fill group chats, and everyone turns their attention toward rest, celebration, or escape. Yet as we step into this first edition of the month, it is important to acknowledge that the start of December does not magically reset what young people have been carrying throughout the year. If anything, it brings those realities into sharper focus. This week’s…

05 Dec

Task forces for what?

Opinions

Kae Matundu-Tjiparuro The President has announced task forces for the recovery of the economy, health, housing and land. What the various task forces need to do about these four areas of socio-economic endeavour may, perhaps, sooner rather than later, become clear and expanded and expounded on further on. By Her Excellency herself, perhaps by the task teams themselves. That is if such expounding and clarification may be part of their briefs and mandates. Needless to say, their briefs and mandates need further explication. Regarding the economy and its propounded recovery, it is a well-known fact that the Namibian economy has,…