Windhoek Observer

12246 Posts
IMF warns Botswana’s increased De Beers stake could risk the economy

IMF warns Botswana’s increased De Beers stake could risk the economy

Chamwe Kaira The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has warned that Botswana’s interest in increasing its stake in De Beers could heighten economic risks, given fiscal pressures and the country’s heavy reliance on the diamond sector. The fund said Botswana could achieve stronger economic outcomes by adopting a broad adjustment strategy that combines fiscal consolidation with structural reforms aimed at diversifying the economy. Such measures, the IMF said, would help support growth, contain public debt and protect international reserve buffers. The IMF highlighted uncertainty in the global diamond market, pointing to the rapid growth of lab-grown diamonds. While lab-grown diamonds are…
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Choppies executives buy shares under long-term incentive scheme

Choppies executives buy shares under long-term incentive scheme

Staff Writer Choppies Enterprises Limited has disclosed a series of on-market share purchases by members of its key management team, in line with Botswana Stock Exchange listing requirements. The transactions took place on 18 December 2025 and relate to the vesting of awards under the company’s Long-Term Incentive (LTI) scheme. All shares were acquired at a price of 1.44 Botswana pula per share, equivalent to about N$1.83, based on an exchange rate of N$1.27 to one pula. Minnesh Rajcoomar acquired 577 321 shares for a total value of BWP831 342.24, or about N$1.06 million. Vidya Sanooj purchased 500 000 shares…
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January is coming, where is your budget?

January is coming, where is your budget?

Hileni Amadhila December is full of sparkle. Lights go up, music plays, and people start to relax. It’s a time for family, food, and fun. But while we enjoy the festive season, it’s easy to forget what comes next: January. And January doesn’t wait.  School fees, transport costs, rent, and groceries all arrive right on time, whether we’re ready or not. In Namibia, many people spend more in December than any other month. There are weddings, trips to the village, Christmas lunches, and New Year’s parties. It’s a time of giving, hosting, and celebrating. But sometimes, we spend without thinking.…
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YOUNG OBSERVER |The rise of micro-retreats: Why the 48-hour “reset” is the ultimate 2025 luxury

YOUNG OBSERVER |The rise of micro-retreats: Why the 48-hour “reset” is the ultimate 2025 luxury

In the earlier part of this decade, the pinnacle of professional success was often signalled by the "grand escape". Young professionals would hoard their leave days for an entire year, sacrificing their weekends and pushing through burnout, all for the promise of a frantic, two-week international odyssey. We travel halfway across the globe to "relax", yet we spend those days navigating airport logistics, managing currency exchanges, and sticking to rigid sightseeing itineraries. By the time we returned to our desks, we often felt more exhausted than when we left, needing a "vacation from our vacation". As we close out 2025,…
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Closing the year, carrying the story forward

As this edition of the Windhoek Observer reaches you, we do so with a sense of reflection, gratitude and resolve. It is the final edition of the year 2025, and as we close this chapter, we pause to acknowledge what this year has meant for Namibia, for our readers, and for the role of journalism in a rapidly changing world. The passing of a year is never merely about dates on a calendar. It is about the stories lived, told and sometimes endured. In 2025, Namibia continued to navigate complex economic realities, evolving political conversations, environmental challenges and social transformation.…
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Writing as resistance: memory, mandate and the discipline of freedom

Writing as resistance: memory, mandate and the discipline of freedom

PAUL T. SHIPALE (with inputs by Folito Nghitongovali Diawara Gaspar) When writing refuses to be silent  Amílcar Cabral warned that the hardest battle is against our own weaknesses. We heard him. And we wrote. This year, our writing did not seek approval. It demanded accountability. Political liberation is not automatic emancipation. It is not an excuse for mediocrity. The greatest danger in liberation struggles is not only external it is within us. In the weakness that trades principles for power. In memory weaponized as a political shield. In comfort chosen over the discipline required. Here, memory is not shelter. It…
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Staying positive

Staying positive

Kae Matundu-Tjiparuro Stay positive! A message from a good long-time friend. Actually a granny, mother, sister, niece, and cousin all rolled into one sounded Yours Truly out on a Sunday morning on the last Sunday of 2026 preceding Christmas.  Was it just a Sunday morning remembrance salutation filled with the usual profoundness of love, or did it have a ring of reflection, and on what? The message could not but get me indeed reflecting deeply. Especially given the season of the times when we are not only readying for the typical season of capitalist decadence and opulence, hailed as Xmas,…
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YOUNG OBSERVER | The art of the soft landing

YOUNG OBSERVER | The art of the soft landing

As the final pages of the 2025 calendar begin to turn, a familiar, frantic energy tends to grip the professional world. In the high-pressure corridors of our modern workspaces, we have been conditioned to believe that December is a "sprint to the finish line". This period is traditionally characterised by pulled-forward deadlines, back-to-back "final" strategy sessions, and an unspoken, heavy pressure to resolve every outstanding issue before the clock strikes midnight on December 31st. We have been taught that the only way to end a year successfully is to exhaust ourselves in the process, collapsing into the holiday season like…
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NamWater owed N$2.8bn …unpaid water bills jumped by nearly N$400m in nine months

NamWater owed N$2.8bn …unpaid water bills jumped by nearly N$400m in nine months

Justicia Shipena  Town councils recorded the highest increase in unpaid water bills as the Namibia Water Corporation's (NamWater) outstanding debt climbed to N$2.8 billion. NamWater said total outstanding water debt stood at about N$2.8 billion as of 30 November 2025.  This marks an increase of roughly N$387 million or 15.9%, from about N$2.4 billion recorded in February 2025. Debt owed by town councils rose by N$150.8 million over the period, making them the largest contributors to the growth in arrears.  Rural water communities followed with an increase of N$107 million, while municipalities added N$42.4 million. Debt from mines rose sharply…
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Zambezi inmate loses N$300 000 lawsuit over escape charge

Zambezi inmate loses N$300 000 lawsuit over escape charge

Justicia Shipena  The High Court has dismissed a N$300 000 damages claim brought by inmate Ndozi Ndozi against prosecutor general Martha Imalwa and senior police officials, finding that there was no malicious prosecution in his case. Ndozi sued the Imalwa, the minister of home affairs, immigration, safety and security and the inspector general of the Namibian police, arguing that he was wrongly and maliciously prosecuted on a charge of escaping from lawful custody.  He claimed the state continued with the prosecution despite knowing there was not enough evidence to secure a conviction and that this violated his constitutional rights. The…
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