Page 35 – Windhoek Observer

09 Oct

A call to support the spirit of the Sahel, honouring Thomas Sankara

Opinions

PAUL T. SHIPALE (with inputs by Folito Nghitongovali Diawara Gaspar) Date that lives in memory October 15th, or, for some, the dawn of the 16th, remains etched in Africa's collective conscience. It marks not merely a death, but the silencing of a revolutionary heartbeat: Thomas Sankara, the man who dared to reimagine what Africa could be. For me, this date carries a personal echo. I once had the rare honour of meeting Sankara – young, bold, and radiant with conviction. I placed a scarf around his neck not as a mere ceremonial gesture, but as a symbolic act of allegiance…

09 Oct

The allegations Nust couldn’t bury …Naomab placed on precautionary suspension

Main

Justicia Shipena The Namibia University of Science and Technology (Nust) has appointed an external firm to carry out a forensic investigation into allegations of mismanagement by its vice chancellor, Erold Naomab — allegations the university had previously denied existed. Nust Interim Council chairperson Leake Hangala said on Wednesday the decision was made to ensure an independent and transparent process following claims implicating the university’s top leadership. “The council has resolved to initiate a forensic investigation to independently and impartially examine the allegations. This step underscores our commitment to accountability, ethical leadership, and good governance,” Hangala said. The move comes after…

09 Oct

Katima council allegedly gave Green Valley free land

National News

Renthia Kaimbi The Green Valley housing development project in Katima Mulilo is under investigation following claims that 76 hectares of land were acquired for free. The investigation also involves allegations of unpaid water use and unauthorised sand mining during construction. Sources within the Katima Mulilo Town Council allege that the developer, Kayunyi Investment CC, received the land at no cost and used town water worth about N$500 000 without payment. They also claimed that the company mined sand valued between N$2 000 and N$10 000 per house during the construction of more than 100 homes without proper authorisation. These allegations…

09 Oct

Land bill still favours male heirs, says PDM’s Hengari

National News

Justicia Shipena Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) member of parliament Inna Hengari says the proposed Land Bill fails to address the deep-rooted bias that favours male heirs in communal land allocations and inheritance. She said current laws and traditional practices continue to disadvantage women in land ownership. Hengari was contributing to the general debate on the land bill in Parliament on Tuesday. The bill was reintroduced in the National Assembly last week by minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Management, Inge Zaamwani-Kamwi. The bill aims to establish a comprehensive legal framework that will facilitate equitable land reform in Namibia. “Women,…

09 Oct

Public will have a say on new money – Shafudah

National News

Allexer Namundjembo Finance minister Ericah Shafudah says there will come a time when her ministry, in collaboration with the Bank of Namibia (BoN), will seek public inputs on the newly launched coins and banknotes. The upgraded notes and redesigned coin series went into circulation at the end of September. Shafudah responded to questions in parliament on Tuesday from Fredrick Shitana, a member of the Affirmative Repositioning (AR), by stating that the new currency is “safe and secure” for use. Shitana had questioned the removal of the third springbok from the new N$10 note, saying it symbolised the younger generation in…

09 Oct

Sankwasa accused of ignoring Okahandja’s filth

National News

Allexer Namundjembo Okahandja community activist Shatyohamba Haihambo has accused Rural and Urban Development Minister James Sankwasa of being politically biased and selectively critical. He said Sankwasa ignored the town’s worsening sanitation problems during his recent visit. Haihambo said that while he appreciates Sankwasa’s “radical approach,” his comments often appear politically motivated and inconsistent. According to him, Sankwasa met privately with the Okahandja Town Council before addressing a community meeting but made no mention of the town’s deteriorating conditions. “Okahandja is currently the dirtiest town in Namibia, under a Swapo mayor. Yet the same Sankwasa who never misses a chance to…

09 Oct

CoW rules out hiring replacements during waste workers’ strike

National News

Justicia Shipena The City of Windhoek (CoW) has confirmed it will not hire replacement workers to perform the duties of striking solid waste management employees. The fixed-term workers are set to begin a protected strike today. City spokesperson Lydia Amutenya stated that the municipality respects the workers’ constitutional right to strike, but it will not deploy substitutes unless work is necessary to prevent danger to life, health, or personal safety. The strike follows a dispute over pay and benefits. The employees involved handle litter picking, street sweeping, and general cleaning in residential and business areas across Windhoek. “The City shall…

09 Oct

Over 200 people arrested in one month for drug offences

National News

Allexer Namundjembo The Namibian Police (Nampol) arrested 211 people on drug-related charges in September. Nampol spokesperson deputy commissioner Kauna Shikwambi said on Wednesday that 202 of the suspects are Namibians, while the others include two Angolans, one Burundian, one Tanzanian, and five Zambian nationals. Shikwambi said cannabis topped the list of seized substances between 1 and 30 September. Police confiscated 1.08 tonnes of cannabis, 1 037 Mandrax tablets, 33 grams of cocaine powder, and 186.5 units of crack cocaine. She said the arrests and seizures demonstrate intensified police operations against illicit drug networks operating within and across Namibia’s borders. “Our…

09 Oct

Govt lawyers argue Germany immune from genocide lawsuit

National News

Justicia Shipena The Namibian government has argued that Germany can only be sued in its own courts. It said the country’s High Court has no jurisdiction over Germany in the ongoing genocide case. In its heads of argument, government lawyers representing the speaker of the National Assembly, the National Assembly, the President, the cabinet and the attorney general said Germany enjoys sovereign immunity under international law and cannot be brought before Namibian courts. The state's legal team, which includes Raymond Heathcote, Sakeus Akweenda, Sisa Namandje, and Eliaser Nekwaya, argued that the rule of state immunity, accepted by international law and…

09 Oct

OBSERVER DAILY | Namibia first: The optics of justice and the burden of history

Editorial, Featured, Opinions

The legal battle unfolding in the High Court over the joint Namibia–Germany genocide declaration is far more than a constitutional dispute; it is a moral mirror reflecting how we, as a nation, navigate justice, memory, and sovereignty in the postcolonial age. On one side stands the Landless People’s Movement (LPM), flanked by descendants of the Nama and Ovaherero communities, arguing that the government has betrayed their cause by defending the former coloniser. On the other side stands the government, represented by Namibian lawyers, insisting that it is merely clarifying legal principles, not shielding Germany from accountability. But in politics, as…