Windhoek Observer – Page 384 – Windhoek Observer

18 Nov

City Police HQ renamed after former Chief Abraham Kanime

National News

Allexer Namundjembo & Mallex Shipanga Former City Police Chief Abraham Kanime, the first Chief of the City Police, who served from the establishment of the law enforcement unit in 2005 until his retirement in 2023, was honoured with the renaming of the City Police headquarters building by the City of Windhoek. At the ceremony on Monday, he thanked the City of Windhoek Municipality for renaming the P.A. De Wet Building after him. “I first came across this building in 1978 when we came here looking for job opportunities. Without knowing, the building which I usually visited during the colonial times…

18 Nov

Angolan judiciary on a visit to exchange knowledge

National News

Niël Terblanché Namibia’s Chief Justice, Peter Shivute, welcomed a delegation of Angolan judicial officers in Windhoek on Monday. The visit by the Angolan judiciary officials is part of a judicial exchange programme aimed at strengthening cooperation and knowledge-sharing between the two nations. The initiative is facilitated by the Southern and East African Chief Justice Forum (SEACJF) with support from the American Bar Association (ABA) Rule of Law Initiative (ROLI) and is aimed at strengthening judicial capacities in Angola and Namibia. Leading the Angolan delegation is Dr Anabela Couto de Castro Valente, Adviser Judge on Functions in the Criminal Chamber of…

18 Nov

Windhoek City Police to implement ‘smart policing’

National News

Mallex Shipanga Head of the Windhoek City Police, Leevi Ileka explained that the institution is in the process of implementing a smart policing strategy. Ileka announced this endeavour on Monday at a ceremony in commemoration of Windhoek City Police Service Day 2024. Smart policing is a manner of work in which data, communities, and technology are incorporated to enhance the effectiveness of officers. Ileka said the goal is to prevent crime before it occurs. “We are trying by all means to become proactive,” he said. Once implemented, these strategies will include technologies such as 400 CCTV cameras, computer-based statistics, and…

18 Nov

Shifeta calls for climate justice at COP29

National News

Niël Terblanché On the sidelines of COP29, the Minister of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism, Pohamba Shifeta, urged global leaders to intensify their efforts towards addressing climate change, highlighting the disproportionate impact on vulnerable countries like Namibia. Speaking at the High-Level Ministerial Roundtable on pre-2030 Ambition, Shifeta outlined Namibia’s climate challenges, commitments, and the critical need for international collaboration to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement. He said Namibia is a nation highly dependent on natural resources. “The country faces significant vulnerabilities due to variable climatic patterns. The impacts of climate change, including severe droughts and floods, have left the…

18 Nov

Central bank leaders tackle cross-border payment frictions

Observer Money

Martin Endjala The Bank of Namibia hosted a quarterly Common Monetary Area (CMA) and Central Bank Governors meeting in Windhoek last week to discuss strengthening economic resilience and improving cross-border payment systems. Key topics included reducing frictions in payment integration, ensuring equitable access, and streamlining regulatory frameworks for efficiency and integrity. Kazembire Zemburuka, the bank’s strategic communications and international relations director, announced on Monday that the discussions centred on improving the speed, cost, and customer experience of cross-border payments. The CMA is actively engaging international development partners, including the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, for support and…

18 Nov

Namibia continues to chart ways to a digital future

Observer Money

Niël Terblanché By aligning efforts to create a digital future for the country with its national development goals, Namibia is in the continuous process of positioning itself as a regional leader by leveraging all available technology. In this regard, the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (MICT), hosted yet another high-level engagement at the Namibian Institute of Public Administration and Management (NIPAM) last Thursday. The event brought together captains of the ICT industry, stakeholders, and experts to discuss pressing challenges and ambitious opportunities for Namibia's ICT landscape. Emma Theofelus, while officially inaugurating the event reiterated the transformative potential of technology…

17 Nov

UPM distances itself from candidate’s allegations against UNAM

Main

Ester Mbathera The United People’s Movement (UPM) has distanced itself from statements made by Polykarp Ameya, a parliamentary candidate on its party’s list, in a widely circulated video. Ameya in the video accused the University of Namibia (Unam) of funding the Affirmative Repositioning (AR) party and acting as its political training ground. “UNAM is funding AR political party. What have I said? The Faculty of Political Science of Unam is currently serving as the political party school of the AR political party,” he said. Ameya further accused Amupanda of being politically corrupt. “You are the president of a registered political…

17 Nov

NamRA denies favouritism over Swapo campaign material import

National News

Niël Terbalnché The Namibia Revenue Agency (NamRA) has denied allegations circulating on social media, which claim that the agency permitted a political party to import election campaign materials without paying the requisite duties and taxes. The accusations are made by Nghipudilo ya Shiindi, an Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) councillor for the Omuthiya town council on her Facebook page. She claims to have in her possession a letter written by Swapo secretary general Sophia Shaningwa related to the party’s campaign material that entered the country for free. The letter according to her was addressed to Namra’s commissioner Sem Shivute. “Those…

17 Nov

Venaani calls for urgent water infrastructure investment in Opuwo

National News

Allexer Namundjembo The leader of the Popular Democratic Movement (PDM), McHenry Venaani has called for a N$150 million investment to upgrade Opuwo’s oxidation ponds and establish a modern water treatment plant. Speaking at a rally in Opuwo on Friday, Venaani highlighted the town’s ongoing water crisis, describing access to clean water as a fundamental human right enshrined in Namibia’s Constitution. “This is a fundamental issue. Clean, drinkable water is not a luxury; it is a human right. One that is enshrined in the supreme law of the land, our constitution, he said. He added that the water issue is not…

17 Nov

Road crashes claim 344 lives since January

Featured, National News

Martin Endjala The Namibian Police recorded 344 fatalities as a result of motor vehicle accidents on Namibian roads between 1 January and 3 November. The Inspector General of the Namibian Police, Lieutenant General Joseph Shikongo, described these statistics as a major concern. He was speaking at the start of the 2024 Festive Season Road Safety Campaign in Tsumeb on Friday. “This indicates that road users are still not complying with the road safety regulations,” he said. Shikongo called for greater compliance with road safety regulations to curb the alarming number of fatalities. “All road users are compelled to adhere to…