Page 250 – News Stand

10 Nov

MIRCO prioritises safety of Namibians in Mozambique

info_e12wt4csNational News

Martin Endjala The Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation (MIRCO) has assured the public, particularly Namibians in Mozambique, that their safety remains a priority. The ministry's executive director, Penda Naanda, said that Namibia, through its High Commission in Pretoria, South Africa, and its embassy in Harare, Zimbabwe, is prepared to assist any Namibians in distress. Naanda issued this statement last week in response to the ongoing violence in Mozambique. “The ministry encourages Namibian nationals who find themselves in distress or in need of consular assistance to contact our embassies in South Africa at +27 (0) 12 481 9100 or in…

10 Nov

Namibia calls for peace at Russia-Africa Partnership Forum

info_e12wt4csNational News

Niël Terblanché The Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Dr Peya Mushelenga, clarified Namibia’s stance toward forming deeper ties with Russia. At the inaugural ministerial conference of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum held in Sochi over the weekend, Mushelenga called for the improvement of political and economic connections with Russia. Mushelenga spoke at the forum where he said the momentum of last year’s summit where Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted African leaders to strengthen ties must not be lost. In his address to the forum, Mushelenga stressed the importance of economic cooperation in an era marked by the rise of the…

10 Nov

Fact Check & ECN sound alarm on misinformation’s impact on democracy

info_e12wt4csNational News

Allexer Namundjembo The head of Fact Check Namibia, an initiative that aims to verify public statements and media reports, Frederick Links, said misinformation and propaganda confuse things. Links said this in an interview with the Windhoek Observer earlier this month. According to him, misinformation, especially during election periods, undermines people's rational decision-making capabilities. “If what people see and consume informationally is actually false, misleading, or inaccurate information, that undermines how people can make rational decisions,” he said. He cautioned that voters may completely lose faith in the electoral process if they receive a barrage of false information, which could result…

10 Nov

Katutura residents accuse ECB of failing to rein in CoW on prepaid meters

info_e12wt4csNational News

Martin Endjala The Katutura Residents Committee (KRC) has labelled the Electricity Control Board (ECB) as weak in enforcing its mandate to bring misbehaving licensees to order. The Windhoek Observer understands that the Windhoek municipality has taken the ECB to court, seeking to set aside the ECB's directive and grant the municipality a special dispensation. The ECB recently informed the public that a court challenge to its directive from 27 June, which forbids local authorities from blocking prepaid meters due to other municipal arrears, prompted this legal action. This court case has restricted the ECB from taking any actions. The ECB…

10 Nov

NamWater signs contracts to secure water supply in northern Namibia

info_e12wt4csNational News

Niël Terblanché NamWater has reached another goal in its commitment to national water infrastructure development, with the signing of contracts to construct a new pipeline between Ogongo and Oshakati. This project, an integral part of NamWater’s strategy to ensure reliable water supply across the country, is anticipated to bolster water security and support the anticipated growth in demand in Northern Namibia. NamWater’s chief executive officer Abraham Nehemia during the signing ceremony at the end of last week in Windhoek, said the project aligns with NamWater’s long-term vision for a secure water supply, especially in regions where economic development and population…

10 Nov

EU contributes N$3.8 million to drought relief efforts

info_e12wt4csNational NewsAna Beatriz Martins, EU Ambassador, Namibia Red Cross Society

Niël Terblanché The European Union (EU) has donated approximately N$3.8 million to support Namibia's ongoing drought relief programme in a gesture of international solidarity. The announcement of the generous donation was made on Friday during a ceremony attended by Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila and EU Ambassador to Namibia, Ana Beatriz Martins. Kuugongelwa-Amadhila expressed the Namibian government's gratitude for the EU's timely assistance, highlighting that the funds will be channelled through the Namibia Red Cross Society. She said that the collaboration aims to provide essential aid, including food, clean water, and multipurpose cash, to over 140 000 individuals affected by drought…

10 Nov

KAZA TFCA secures access to N$2 billion in funding for biodiversity protection

info_e12wt4csNational NewsKavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area

Niël Terblanché By addressing critical challenges such as habitat fragmentation, human-wildlife conflict, and climate change, securing a partnership aimed at securing a sustainable future for both the region's rich biodiversity and its human populations is vitally important. In this regard, one of Southern Africa's most extensive environmental conservation efforts, the Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA) has secured a substantial financial commitment from the United Kingdom. The KAZA Secretariat and the UK government formalised their collaboration through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at implementing the Biodiverse Landscapes Fund (BLF) within the KAZA region at Westminster House in Gaborone…

10 Nov

Labour ministry introduces good practice code for labour inspectors

info_e12wt4csNational NewsCode of Good Practice, Labour Inspectors

Erasmus Shalihaxwe Acting Executive Director in the Ministry of Labour, Industrial Relations and Employment Creation Aune Mudjanima, said the ministry has finally enacted the Code of Good Practice for Labour Inspectors that will serve as their operational standard procedures. A communication issued by the ministry last week stated that Labour Inspectors are appointed in terms of the Labour Act 2007, (Act. No. 11 of 2007) and they are tasked with legal duties of enforcement of the law on Basic Conditions of Employment and Occupational Safety and Health. The Code of Good Practice became effective on 23 October and is published…

10 Nov

LPM calls on opposition parties to collaborate and be extra vigilant on election day

info_e12wt4csNational News

Erasmus Shalihaxwe The Landless People Movement (LPM) second Deputy Operative Secretary, Eneas Envula said that opposition political parties contesting in the upcoming national elections should collaborate and be extra vigilant in observing the election on polling days. Envula made the call over the weekend, stating that opposition parties should value the role of political agents and try to deploy them at every polling station across the country to maintain vigilance during the election process and voting day, counting of provisional results, verifications and the declaration of such results at voting stations, and even the mobile ones. ‘’This is a clarion…

07 Nov

Oshigambo learners suspended over prayer session

info_e12wt4csMain

Allexer Namundjembo Oshigambo High School suspended 17 AS-level students for their participation in an illegal religious devotional meeting. The gathering reportedly included preaching without permission and claims of supernatural encounters, leading to significant controversy. Among the suspended students is Jason Mutumbulwa, whose guardian, social activist Johannes Johannes, has challenged the school’s decision, calling the school’s decision rushed and unjust. In a letter to the Oshikoto Regional Education Director, Aletha Eises, Johannes requested the reinstatement of the learners, asserting that the suspensions were motivated by personal vendettas. Principal Pinehas Ekongo, however, offered a different account, stating that CCTV footage showed Mutumbulwa…