Page 853 – News Stand

08 Dec

Children aged 12 years and older are now eligible for vaccination

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyBen Nangombe, Ministry of Health and Social Services (MOHSS)

Tujoromajo Kasuto CHILDREN aged 12 years and older are now eligible to receive the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines, as the Ministry of Health and Social Services (MoHSS) has decided to expand vaccination eligibility to children and adolescents aged 12-17 years. Vaccination reduces the risk of severe illness, hospitalisation and deaths due to COVID-19. The World Health Organisation (WHO) Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) has recommended that Pfizer/BionTech COVID-19 vaccine is suitable for use by persons aged 12 years and above. The same vaccine has been granted Emergency Use Authorisation by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in…

08 Dec

Man loses N$1 million lawsuit against operation Hornkranz soldiers

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyHigh Court, Namibia Defense Force (NDF)

Eba Kandovazu CONTRADICTIONS in the witness statement of a man who was suing the Namibia Defense Force (NDF) for injuries he sustained after he was allegedly assaulted by soldiers during operation Hornkranz late last year, have led to the unsuccessful N$1 million lawsuit. High Court Judge Orben Sibeya today dismissed Tuteni Petrus' lawsuit with cost, saying there were inconsistencies in his initial statement and evidence in chief when he testified in the dock. Petrus alleges he was assaulted by soldiers on the night of 31 December, 2020, after they pulled him out of a taxi. In his particulars of claim,…

08 Dec

Swapo suspends Otjozondjupa Coordinator

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyRegional Coordinator for Otjozondjupa, Susan Hikopua, SWAPO

Eba Kandovazu SWAPO has suspended its Regional Coordinator for Otjozondjupa, Susan Hikopua on allegations of abuse of party finances and properties for personal gain, among other claims. Hikopua, according to Clive Kavendjii, Otjozondjupa Information and Mobilisation officer, also orchestrated demonstrations against the leadership of the party in the region, and disregarded the party’s constitution. Kavendjii also alleges that Hikopua is sowing division among Swapo members in the region, and has thus been charged with insubordination towards the Regional Executive Committee. Kavendjii however adds that no criminal charges have been laid against Hikopua pertaining to the misappropriation of funds. Hikopua is…

07 Dec

Woman dies in fatal lightning strike

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyKavango West Region, Mbilisu Johanna Kasiku

Tujoromajo Kasuto A 44- year-old woman, identified as Mbilisu Johanna Kasiku, died after she was struck by lightning while taking a bath behind their sleeping room. The incident took place last Friday around 04:30 at Kwaki village in the Mpungu constituency, Kavango West Region. Her remains were transported the Nankudu hospital mortuary, pending an autopsy and her next of kin have been informed. Meanwhile in a separate incident, on the same day in Hanover, Ongwediva, the body of 35-year-old Iitula Job was found by a 12-year-old girl on her way to school hanging on a mango tree with a scarf…

07 Dec

Swapo councilor rejects Mayorship nomination by IPC councilors

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyHileni Idhongela, IPC, IPC Spokesperson Immanuel Nashinge, Swapo councilor

Eba Kandovazu A Swapo councilor, Hileni Idhongela rejected nomination by two IPC members, Petrus Nakanyala and David Nghifikepunye, for her as the Mayor of the Oniipa Town Council until she eventually accepted nominations from her own party members, Jafet Augustus and David Kambonde. Patema Nakanyala of the IPC was nominated by her party members who had initially nominated Idhongela. IPC Spokesperson Immanuel Nashinge told this publication that the party “did not send” the IPC members to nominate a Swapo councilor for Mayorship. “These are local authority things. You are there to serve your people. I don’t know, I’m not a…

07 Dec

Eighteen Omicron cases detected in Namibia

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyCovid-19, Dr Kalumbi Shangula, Health and Social Services Minister, Omicron

Eba Kandovazu HEALTH and Social Services Minister, Dr Kalumbi Shangula, has announced that 18 people have tested positive for the new COVID-19 variant, Omicron. Dr Shangula says the variant was detected after the genomic sequencing of samples, adding that 18 are out of total of 19 samples which were tested, with one testing positive for COVID-19 Delta variant through PCR. President Hage Geingob at the 37th COVID-19 today briefed the nation on the state of the COVID-19 pandemic. Shangula says Government will be forced to take stringent measures on 15 December, if cases continue to rise and people are misbehaving.…

04 Dec

Radical socio-economic transformation attainable with right class consciousness

info_e12wt4csUncategorisedHuman Rights and Freedoms, Namibian Constitution

To give Namibia’s early resistance advocates, none of whom exist today, and latter day liberation/freedom proponents and agitators if not agents provocateurs, and today’s agents of change, whoever they are and may be, and/or ought to be, the benefit of the doubt, there can be no denying that the country’s basic document, the Constitution, which paved the way or heralded the country’s independence in 1990, is as good as could have been expected in its times. Yours Truly Ideologically cannot but re-emphasise the notion in its times. These times being nationalist political times, when the pre-occupation was national colonial resistance…

04 Dec

Haufiku criticises Angola travel ban, saying patients need treatment

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyBernardt Haufiku, Covid-19, Former Health and Social Services Minister

Eba Kandovazu ANGOLA’s decision to ban Namibia amidst the new COVID-19 variant, Omicron, has largely been criticised, with some saying it is not a patriotic move as Southern African Development Community(SADC) countries are still challenging the European Union (EU) red list, calling it a rushed and discriminatory approach. Former Health and Social Services Minister, Bernardt Haufiku, says Angola’s decision was irrational as her southern parts depend largely on Namibia for medical care. “Just three days ago I had to write letters. Even now I’m sitting in my office with a message from a patient in Luanda, crying that his medicine…

04 Dec

Namibia records 56% spike in COVID-19 cases …amidst Omicron variant outbreak worldwide

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyCovid-19, Ministry of Health and Social Services (MOHSS)

Tujoromajo Kasuto Given the meteoric rise in the number of new infections of COVID-19 cases, the Ministry of Health and Social Services (MoHSS) is calling for people to observe preventive measures more than before. The MoHSS has today announced 184 new COVID-19 confirmed cases from 3 108 results in the last 24 hours reporting cycle representing a 56 percent increase compared to the 81 cases recorded yesterday. Khomas region reports the highest number of new cases totaling 140 making up 76 percent of the total confirmed cases. This is 40.2 percent increase from the 66 cases recorded yesterday. The new…

03 Dec

LPM calls on learners to seek remedy in courts over exams suspension

info_e12wt4csObserver MoneyArts and Culture, Bernardus Swaartboi, Landless People’s Movement (LPM), LPM’s leader, Ministry of Education, Sanet Steenkamp

Eba Kandovazu THE Landless People’s Movement (LPM) says it is prepared to support parents and guardians of Grade 11 and 12 learners who intend to legally challenge the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture. This about this ministry’s decision to cancel examinations and have them re-written next year after question papers were leaked in the Oshana region. Yesterday the ministry announced that three police cases have been opened and ten suspects subsequently arrested. Executive Director (ED) in the ministry, Sanet Steenkamp, says eight of the suspects were released on bail while two, foreigners, are still in police custody. Only visually…