Windhoek Observer

11549 Posts
The cost of caring

The cost of caring

Ashante Manetti In Namibia, the workplace is changing but not like we might think. Apart from the performance appraisal level, team meetings, and productivity monitoring, an emerging crisis is financial stress. The 2024 Old Mutual Financial Services Monitor revealed that over half of working Namibians are feeling financially strained. It's more than a statistic: it's a silent struggle that affects how people arrive at work, how they treat their teams, and how they work. Financial stress doesn't have a work schedule when employees clock in. It goes to the office with them, to the meetings, and to the interactions. It's…
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OBSERVER DAILY | Break the chains: Namibia’s debt trap demands a non-partisan revolution

Honourable Inna Hengari’s motion in Parliament to confront Namibia’s growing debt crisis is both timely and urgent. It is a wake-up call for leaders across the political spectrum and a reminder that economic reform is not a partisan luxury but a national necessity. The questions she poses are not merely technical; they cut to the heart of our collective future: can Namibia sustain prosperity and inclusion while a significant portion of its citizens live shackled by unmanageable debt? To dismiss this motion as party politics would be to miss the moral and economic emergency staring us in the face. Debt…
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Sankwasa initiates process to remove Dâure Daman leader 

Sankwasa initiates process to remove Dâure Daman leader 

Renthia Kaimbi The government has begun the process to remove Chief Zacharias Seibeb as leader of the Dâure Daman Traditional Authority after years of internal dispute. Urban and Rural Development minister James Sankwasa informed Seibeb of the decision in a letter dated 22 September 2025.  The correspondence, seen by the Windhoek Observer, states that the ministry has “commenced with the degazetting process” against the chief.  The move, authorised under section 8(1) of the Traditional Authorities Act of 2000, would strip Seibeb of official state recognition. The letter referred to a consultative meeting held on 5 June 2025 to address the…
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NBC files N$1m lawsuit against Eagle FM

NBC files N$1m lawsuit against Eagle FM

Allexer Namundjembo The Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) has filed a N$1 million lawsuit against Eagle FM in the Windhoek High Court, accusing the radio station of using its transmitter sites without paying. Court documents seen by the Windhoek Observer state that Eagle FM operated on NBC sites at Signalberg, Rossing, Okongo, Katima Mulilo, Arandis and Oshakati. “During 2022, while the plaintiff was conducting a site audit on various transmitter sites, the plaintiff became aware that the defendant has been occupying and operating on the above sites,” the documents read. In August 2024, NBC, represented by Tuuliki Shipanga, and Eagle FM,…
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Govt courts investors with SEZ incentives to build film industry 

Govt courts investors with SEZ incentives to build film industry 

Allexer Namundjembo  The government will offer policy and financial incentives to attract investors to the planned Namibia Film and Creative City. The senior manager for marketing, branding and communications at the Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB), Catherine Shipushu, said the project will provide land within a special economic zone (SEZ), fast-tracked permits and visas, and one-stop investor services. She made the announcement on Tuesday, confirming the official call for expressions of interest (EOI). The project, worth billions, will be developed under a public–private partnership model and will include world-class film production studios, casting agencies, accommodation, and hospitality services. …
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SOEs governance amendments to reach parliament soon

SOEs governance amendments to reach parliament soon

Justicia Shipena  Finance minister Ericah Shafudah says amendments to the Public Enterprises Governance Act (PEGA) will soon be tabled in Parliament.  She said the amendments will shift oversight functions from central government to line ministries. “This process has advanced very, very well, and soon we are going to see the tabling of the amended public enterprises governance bill in parliament,” Shafudah said on Monday during a cabinet briefing at the Government Information Centre. PEGA, passed in 2019, provides rules for the governance, restructuring, and monitoring of state-owned enterprises.  It was initially administered by the Ministry of Public Enterprises, which was…
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Daures UDF candidate rejects tribalism allegations 

Daures UDF candidate rejects tribalism allegations 

Renthia Kaimbi The United Democratic Front (UDF) regional candidate for the Daures constituency, Amingo Honeb, has denied making tribal remarks after a screenshot of a conversation attributed to him surfaced online. The screenshot shows Honeb responding to criticism that  “Tatamutsi in its current form is a total mess. Erongo Regional Council failed to properly demarcate plots.”  Honeb, who is the chief administrative officer at the Erongo Regional Council’s settlement office in Uis, responded that the council was in an “advanced stage with the formalisation of Tatamutsi” and that a company had been appointed to begin the process. He allegedly added,…
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German Forum says prosperity dream unfulfilled for many 

German Forum says prosperity dream unfulfilled for many 

Renthia Kaimbi “Shared prosperity and progress remain a dream for the majority of Namibians,” said Harald Hecht, chairman of the Forum of German-Speaking Namibians.  Hecht made the remarks at a public dialogue on Namibia’s business competitiveness, where he contrasted the country’s “world-famous and well-respected constitution” and reputation as an “oasis of calmness” for foreign investors with the economic struggles faced by citizens. He noted that Namibia’s ease of doing business ranking has dropped from 54th globally in 2008 to 104th today, which he described as a clear sign of decline. The forum hosted the dialogue to promote Namibia as a…
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Rural women still excluded from economy – NNN 

Rural women still excluded from economy – NNN 

Justicia Shipena President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has said Namibia’s biggest challenge in advancing gender equality is the economic exclusion of women, particularly those in rural areas. “There are areas where there is room for improvement. In our national context, this is mainly in the area of the economic inclusion of women, especially rural women who still remain on the margins of economic activity,” Nandi-Ndaitwah said at the High-Level Meeting on the 30th anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women in New York this week. She said economic challenges continue to limit access to credit, land, and markets, with 70% of…
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Tourism returns to pre-covid strength

Tourism returns to pre-covid strength

Chamwe Kaira  The tourism industry has rebounded to pre-pandemic levels, with the national occupancy rate rising to 67.55% in August, up from 59.61% in July.  This was a 4.5 percentage point increase from 63.02% in August 2024 and marked the highest monthly rate since the pre-Covid peak of 69.9%. “This robust performance underscores the resilience of the tourism sector and signals a full recovery of seasonal demand. With September historically being the busiest month of the year, it is anticipated that the upcoming figures will surpass pre-pandemic levels,” said Macro Pulse, an analyst at Simonis Storm Securities. On a year-to-date…
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