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Ester Mbathera  The Affirmative Repositioning (AR) party has called on the government to declare a public health emergency in Tsumeb following a recent study by the University of Bern, Switzerland, which revealed alarming levels of arsenic contamination in the town’s soil, plants, and residents. John Johannes, an AR activist for the Oshikoto Region, urged the government to prioritise the medical needs of affected residents in a statement on Monday. This, he said, should include comprehensive health screenings and necessary medical treatment.  “The extent of this contamination needs to be qualified so that our people know what precaution to take,” he…

Niël Terblanché The government has expressed deep concern over the escalating conflict and deteriorating security situation in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Penda Naanda, the executive director of the Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation, in a statement released on Monday, stressed the urgency of a diplomatic solution to prevent the conflict from spilling over into neighbouring countries, potentially igniting a regional crisis. "Namibia reiterates the need to redouble regional efforts in finding lasting solutions to the conflict in our sister country," Naanda said. He reiterated that regional peace and stability are essential for economic development and integration.…

Martin Endjala The Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) has clarified that it does not prevent people from using smuggled fuel from Angola, colloquially known as ngungula. According to Andreas Sheehama, the mines and energy petroleum chief inspector, the ministry can only discourage its sale, citing negative impacts on Namibia’s economy. “The selling of Angolan fuel in Namibia is sabotaging the economy of the country. Hence, we are against it. People can use ngungula for their tractors and vehicles, but they cannot sell it in the country,” he said. Sheehama explained that Angolan fuel differs from Namibian fuel in terms…

Niël Terblanché The minister of agriculture, water and land reform, Calle Schlettwein, urged all agriculture stakeholders to prioritise food security, equitable land distribution, and sustainable water management to address pressing challenges. Speaking at the ministry’s Management Review Workshop for the third quarter of the 2024/25 financial year in Swakopmund on Monday, Schlettwein outlined key achievements, ongoing efforts, and areas for urgent intervention. "This is a challenging year. The public is looking to us to continue to remedy the impacts of drought both nationally and at the household level. We should expedite the implementation of drought measures to realise immediate impact…

Niël Terblanché The Indian Navy’s state-of-the-art frigate, INS Tushil, made its maiden port call at Walvis Bay from 21 to 23 January. The ship’s visit marked another step in strengthening maritime cooperation between India and Namibia. The vessel, a multi-role stealth and guided-missile frigate, was received by the Namibian Navy, Namport, and officials from the High Commission of India (HCI). Having departed Lagos, Nigeria, after an eight-day voyage, INS Tushil docked in Namibia with a clear agenda: strengthening bilateral relations and enhancing maritime collaboration. The Commanding Officer of the vessel, Captain Peter Verghese, hosted a Namibian Naval delegation and the…

Moses Magadza The newly-elected President of the Southern African Development Community Parliamentary Forum (SADC PF), Justin Tokely from Madagascar, has laid out a transformative roadmap aimed at addressing pressing socio-economic challenges while strengthening regional democracy.  Tokely took over the presidency from Roger Mancienne of Seychelles at the 56 Plenary assembly held in Livingstone Zambia in December. In his first official communication to SADC PF Member Parliaments, partners and well-wishers since his election in December last year, Tokely - who is also the Speaker of the National Assembly of Madagascar - shared his vision for 2024-2026, spotlighting socio-economic revival, accountability, legal…

Erasmus Shalihaxwe Despite Shell’s recent announcement to write down US$400 million in PEL 39 from its operation in Namibia, other companies involved in the offshore oil discovery are moving forward with the project alongside the National Petroleum Corporation of Namibia (NAMCOR).  The oil, located in the Orange Basin, has been described as one of the world’s most promising oil and gas regions. Utaara Hoveka, a spokesperson for NAMCOR, confirmed over the weekend that post-well studies are being done by several joint venture (JV) partners, such as QatarEnergy (30%), Impact Oil and Gas Namibia (9.5%), and NAMCOR (10%).  These studies involve…

Martin Endjala A study conducted by Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) researchers raised concerns about unwarranted and possibly unlawful pretrial detentions by the Namibian Police.  The report, released on 16 January, indicated that the Windhoek Wanaheda, Katutura, and Otjomuise police stations for detaining citizens unlawfully. The study, conducted in 2022, was led by NUST’s principal investigator, Stefan Schulz, the deputy director of the department of social sciences under the faculty of commerce, human sciences, and education, along with five student research assistants.  The aim of the study was to determine the extent of unlawful detentions at the identified…