Page 47 – News Stand

14 May

New charges await Hengari in next court appearance

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Allexer Namundjebo Former Minister of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform, Mac Albert Hengari, will face new charges when he next appears in court. These include contravening Section 34(a) of the Anti-Corruption Act (Act 8 of 2003) and incitement to commit a crime under Section 18(2)(b) of the Riotous Assemblies Act of 1976. This is explained in a letter from Prosecutor General Martha Imalwa, dated 12 May 2015, seen by the Windhoek Observer and addressed to Hengari’s legal firm, Dr Weder, Kauta & Hoveka Inc. Imalwa, in the letter, notified Hengari’s legal team that the state intends to oppose bail on…

14 May

PDM Six sue party, ECN, and National Assembly for N$1.9 million

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Allexer Namundjebo Six senior members of the Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) are suing their party, the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN), and the National Assembly for compensation over their exclusion from Parliament in 2020. Mike Venaani, Raymond Diergaardt, Charmaine Tjirare, Yvette Areas, Nghidipo Hamata, and Maximalliant Katjimune were originally on the PDM’s list of parliamentary candidates for the 2019 general election. However, after the elections, the party submitted a modified list to the ECN, excluding their names and replacing them with others. This change caused internal turmoil within the party and led to a legal battle. In 2022, the High…

14 May

Kauandenge pokes holes in Nudo constitution with dual membership

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Erasmus Shalihaxwe Former National Unity Democratic Organisation (Nudo) secretary general, Josef Kauandenge, says Nudo's constitution does not prevent him from forming another party while remaining a fully fledged Nudo member. Kauandenge recently announced the formation of the Association for Localised Interests (ASOLI), where he serves as president. Despite this, he stressed that he is still a Nudo member. He represented Nudo in both the City of Windhoek local authority council and the national assembly. “I still stand by the position that I’m still a Nudo member, although I have started an association. Perusing through the party constitution, I could not…

14 May

Diplomatic missions not displaying Nandi-Ndaitwah’s portraits

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Hetta-Maria Amutenja Some Namibian Diplomatic missions have yet to display the official portrait of President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, nearly two months after her inauguration. The Namibian High Commission in London, for instance, has not yet hung the portrait. Photos obtained by the Windhoek Observer show only the portrait of Founding President Sam Nujoma on display, with no image of the current or former president visible. A source, who visited the mission recently, expressed surprise at the absence of the portrait of President Nandi-Ndaitwah. “It was surprising to walk into the High Commission and see that only the portrait of President Nujoma…

14 May

SADC convenes trade justice dialogue to address U.S. tariff fallout

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Moses Magadza The Southern African Development Community (SADC) is set to hold a high-level dialogue today on trade justice, following the announcement of sweeping tariffs by the United States that have shaken Global South economies. The meeting, which will take place in a hybrid format, is organised by the SADC Parliamentary Forum’s Standing Committee on Trade, Industry, Finance, and Investment (TIFI), with about 50 key participants expected to attend. The dialogue comes after US President Donald Trump’s April 2 announcement of a 10% baseline tariff on all imports, along with reciprocal tariffs targeting regions like Southern Africa. While a 90-day…

14 May

Devil’s claw harvesters secure price increase in Kavango East

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Justicia Shipena The Muduva Nyangana Conservancy and Community Forest (MN-CCF) in Kavango East has secured a price increase for Devil’s Claw, raising it from N$44 to N$50 per kilogram. The negotiation took place in mid-April with off-taker Ecoso Dynamics and the Dryland Sustainable Landscapes Impact Program (DSL-IP) Project Management Unit. The new price includes N$2 per kilogram for Namibia’s Access and Benefit-Sharing (ABS) mechanism. This ensures that communities benefit from the use of local genetic resources. “This is not just about money, it’s about dignity and long-term benefit,” said MN-CCF manager Max Muyemburuko. “For the first time, we feel that…

14 May

Farmers embrace solar-powered agriculture

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Staff Writer Local farmers recently participated in a workshop focused on Agri-PV technology, a project supported by the GIZ INSPIRED Agri-PV initiative at the University of Namibia’s Ogongo Campus. The goal was to explore how Agri-PV systems can help achieve sustainable vegetable and fruit production while also providing climate-adapted energy solutions in Namibia. The workshop attracted 95 participants, including representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform (MAFWLR), UNAM, regional councils, and local farmers. It aimed to show how farmers can use their land for both crop production and solar energy generation. Agri-PV systems provide multiple benefits,…

14 May

NAGN calls on artists to represent Namibia’s identity globally through art

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Justicia Shipena Michelle Van Wyk, the director of the National Art Gallery of Namibia (NAGN), has urged Namibians to unite in visually expressing their identity on international platforms. She made this call at the launch of the Bank Windhoek Triennial on Tuesday. Van Wyk emphasised the importance of using art to tell the world who Namibia is and who it is becoming. The launch event, held in Windhoek, marked the beginning of the sixth edition of the Triennial, which carries the theme "Namibian Identity: The Linework of a Country’s Contours and Wealth". The competition invites artists to explore and portray…

14 May

Rundu council to fast-track land allocation for sports facilities

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Erasmus Shalihaxwe Rundu urban councillor Victoria Kauma has called on the Rundu Local Authority Council to accelerate the process of identifying land for building sports facilities in the town. Kauma made the call during the recent belated Independence Day celebration held at the Rundu Sport Stadium. She said Kavango East Governor Hamunyera Hambyuka has already instructed councillors to identify land for sports facilities as part of a national directive to address the lack of such infrastructure. “We should come up with new land to develop sports facilities in this region. This is going to be a standard sports facility in…

14 May

Young cricketers make strong start in 2025 Nashua Junior League

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Justicia Shipena Namibia’s young cricketers took centre stage over the past weekend, as the 2025 Nashua Junior Franchise League began with matches across Windhoek. This year, the league expanded to include an under-12 category, bringing the total to nine teams across U12, U14, and U19. Franchises include Grove Mall, Ashburton Investments, STADIO Higher Education, and Naankuse, with Green Enterprise Solutions joining for the first time. The action started on Friday, 9 May, with the U12 Ashburton Eagles beating Grove Mall Wildcats by 9 wickets at the High Performance Oval. The Wildcats posted 71/6, but the Eagles chased it down in…