Windhoek Observer

18 Jun

Child hunger in Omaheke exposes Namibia’s wealth paradox

National News

Patience Makwele The plight of vulnerable children in the Omaheke Region has once again cast a spotlight on the paradox of hunger in resource-rich Namibia, with regional leaders questioning how children continue to suffer from malnutrition despite the country’s economic potential. The concerns were raised on Tuesday as employees of the Namibia Revenue Agency (NamRA) donated food items worth more than N$44,000 to community organisations caring for vulnerable children in Omaheke. Omaheke Governor Pijoo Nganate said the continued need for food assistance should concern leaders and institutions across the country. “How can people be so rich in a country that…

18 Jun

Government moves to establish independent tax court

Main, National News

CHAMWE KAIRA The government has tabled legislation to establish an independent Tax Court within the High Court system, replacing the defunct Special Tax Court and restructuring the country's tax dispute resolution framework following a 2021 High Court ruling that declared key provisions of the existing system unconstitutional. Tabling the Income Tax Amendment Bill of 2026 in the National Assembly this week, finance minister Erica Shafudah said the proposed amendments seek to create a dedicated Tax Court to hear income tax and value-added tax (VAT) appeals, while clarifying the respective roles of the minister of finance and the commissioner of the…

18 Jun

Early childhood marriage continues to trap girls in cycle of poverty

National News

Patience Makwele Child marriage is continuing to trap young Namibian girls in a cycle of school dropout, early motherhood and unemployment, raising questions about why the practice persists despite years of interventions and awareness campaigns. Studies conducted by the ministry of gender equality, poverty eradication and social welfare and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) estimate that 18.4% of girls in Namibia marry or enter unions before the age of 18, with the highest prevalence recorded in Kavango East and Kavango West, followed by Kunene and Zambezi regions. Child rights campaigners say the consequences extend far beyond childhood, with many…

18 Jun

South African Nama ‘kaptein’ eyes Tsumkwe campaign

National News

Allexer Namundjembo The chief of the Nama Traditional Authority in South Africa, Gert Links, has announced plans to replicate and expand the successful Tsumkwe Community Cleaning Campaign in South African communities, following a five-day oversight and learning visit to the settlement earlier this month. Links, accompanied by councillor Petrus De Wet, visited Tsumkwe from 1 to 5 June to assess the community-driven initiative, which is supported by the Palms For Life Fund. The visit aimed to provide firsthand insight into the campaign's implementation and explore opportunities for adapting the model across the border. Speaking during the visit, Links praised the…

18 Jun

Court reinstates Keetmanshoop management committee members after no-confidence vote

National News

Allexer Namundjembo The High Court of Namibia has ordered the immediate reinstatement of two Keetmanshoop municipality management committee members who were removed through a vote of no confidence last month. In a ruling delivered on Monday before justice Thomas Masuku, the court granted urgent interim relief to applicants Easter Isaak and Anneliza Knaus, effectively halting the implementation of the municipality's decision to remove them from office. The dispute stems from resolutions adopted by the Keetmanshoop municipal council on 7 May and 4 June, in which a vote of no confidence was passed against the two councillors, leading to their removal…

18 Jun

OBSERVER COASTAL | Erongo SORA decries 33.7% education pass rate and rising road fatalities

Featured, Uncategorised

Renthia Kaimbi Erongo Governor Nathalia /Goagoses delivered her second State of the Region Address on Wednesday, painting a picture of a region making tangible progress across multiple sectors while equally confronting challenges in education, road safety, and unemployment. Speaking at the Swakopmund Municipal Chambers, /Goagoses reported that the region's unemployment rate has dropped from 32% to an estimated 30% over the past year, a modest but meaningful improvement that reflects growing economic activity in the region. The address, themed “Advancing the Erongo Region Towards the Realisation of Vision 2030,” echoed the national vision while highlighting regional achievements and shortcomings. /Goagoses…

18 Jun

OBSERVER COASTAL | Omatjete welcomes N$4.2 Million ‘NaTIS on Wheels’

Featured, Uncategorised

Renthia Kaimbi Minister of works and transport, Veikko Nekundi, officially launched the NaTIS on Wheels truck in Omatjete on Monday. The event marked a step in the government's commitment to bringing essential services closer to all citizens, eliminating the burden of long-distance travel for administrative needs. The N$4.2 million mobile registering authority is a state-of-the-art facility equipped to handle a comprehensive suite of services directly within the community. Residents of Omatjete and the surrounding areas can now access vision testing, biometric capturing, computerised Learner Licence Testing (CLLT), and vehicle licence issuances from the truck itself. Nekundi highlighted the cost-effectiveness of…

18 Jun

OBSERVER COASTAL | Walvis Bay orders informal traders in CBD to vacate

Featured, Uncategorised

Renthia Kaimbi The Municipality of Walvis Bay has ordered all informal traders operating within the town's Central Business District to cease operations and vacate the area by Wednesday, warning that non-compliant traders will face a joint cleanup operation with law enforcement starting on Friday. The public notice specifically targets informal traders currently operating in undesignated areas within the local authority's jurisdiction. The municipality has made it clear that there are no designated informal trading areas in the Central Business District, meaning traders must relocate to municipal designated trading zones elsewhere in the town. Municipal spokesperson Anita Kaihiva told the Observer…

18 Jun

Tax Court Reform: A necessary step, but one that must match Namibia’s economic reality

Editorial

The government’s proposal to establish an independent Tax Court marks an important milestone in strengthening Namibia’s constitutional democracy and modernising the country’s tax administration system. Following the 2021 High Court ruling that declared aspects of the old Special Tax Court unconstitutional, the move by Finance Minister Erica Shafudah to introduce a new framework deserves recognition. At its core, the proposed reforms seek to address a fundamental principle: justice must not only be done but must also be seen to be done. The previous arrangement, under which the Minister of Finance exercised powers both over tax administration and the appointment of…

18 Jun

BoN maintains 2026 GDP growth projection at 2.6%

Observer Money

CHAMWE KAIRA The Bank of Namibia has maintained its growth projections at 2.6% for 2026 and 2.9% for 2027, supported by expected gains in uranium mining, wholesale and retail trade, financial services, and public administration and defence. However, the central bank has warned that domestic economic activity weakened in the first four months of 2026, particularly in mining, manufacturing, tourism, electricity generation, construction, and communications. According to data cited by the Bank of Namibia, Namibia’s merchandise trade deficit widened to N$11.723 billion in the first four months of 2026, compared to N$11.267 billion over the same period in 2025, reflecting…