Windhoek Observer – Page 395 – Windhoek Observer

11 Sep

NEFC launches manifesto

National News

Hilarius Hamutenya The Namibia Empowerment Fighting Corruption party (NEFC) will launch its first-ever election manifesto during its congress in Windhoek. The party was established in 2020 by Kenneth Iilonga, its founding president. Iilonga participated in the Local Authority and Regional Council election in 2020 in Walvis Bay. He contested as the candidate for the Walvis Bay Urban Constituency which was won by Deriu Benson of Independent Patriots for Change (IPC). Iilonga said his party’s manifesto will include people with disabilities. ”We did not see people with hearing challenges being nominated in the list of parliament despite we have so many…

11 Sep

Serious concerns about Health Professions Bill in its current form

National NewsKalumbi Shangula, Popular Democratic Movement

Erasmus Shalihaxwe The Popular Democratic Movement’s (PDM) member of parliament, Nico Smit, said the current form of the Health Professions Bill raises significant concerns that could hinder the effective practice of healthcare professions rather than support it. Smit was speaking in Parliament on Tuesday while contributing to the proposed health professional bill debate, which was introduced by Minister of Health and Social Service Kalumbi Shangula recently. Smit stated that the bill presents several critical areas of concern that require a deeper evaluation to ensure the legislation effectively supports and regulates Namibia's healthcare professionals without imposing unnecessary barriers or compromising professional…

11 Sep

Namibian youth urged to drive digital transformation

National NewsNational ICT Summit

Niël Terblanché Namibia is making good progress in its journey towards becoming a digitally inclusive society and through sustained collaboration and investment in ICT infrastructure and human capital, the country is ready to unlock the potential of the next generation of innovators. The eighth National ICT Summit held in Windhoek concluded on Wednesday with a call for young Namibians to take centre stage in the country’s digital transformation journey. The Deputy Minister of Information and Communication Technology, Modestus Amutse, stressed the essential role that the youth must play in shaping Namibia's future within the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector,…

11 Sep

Maritime Museum inaugurated in Lüderitz

National NewsFluksman Samuehl, Lüderitz Waterfront Development Company, Namibia’s maritime history, President Nangolo Mbumba

Niël Terblanché A landmark achievement in preserving Namibia’s maritime history was realised on Wednesday when President Nangolo Mbumba officially inaugurated the Namibian Maritime Museum in Lüderitz. President Mbumba stressed the museum's importance in documenting the role the ocean has played in Namibia's development. "Our coast, stretching 1,572 kilometres along the Atlantic Ocean, has been central to trade, exploration, and cultural exchange for centuries. This museum stands as a resource for discovering our rich maritime history and understanding the ocean’s economic significance," he said. He said that the new facility is more than a repository of historical artefacts, the museum will…

11 Sep

Namibia and Kenya focus on trade and cooperation

National NewsTripartite Free Trade Agreement (TFTA)

Niël Terblanché Namibia and Kenya are both seeking greater leverage in regional and continental opportunities for improved economic growth, trade, and regional integration. The Namibia–Kenya political and diplomatic consultations held in Windhoek earlier this week resulted in a joint communiqué in which the countries stressed their commitment to deepening their bilateral relations, with a strong emphasis on economic cooperation and increased political engagement. The consultations related to a broad array of mutual interests were hosted by Namibia's Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Dr Peya Mushelenga, and Kenya's prime cabinet secretary and cabinet secretary for foreign and diaspora affairs, Musalia…

10 Sep

Political analysts questioned Tutyavi’s appointment

MainJoseph Diescho, Ndumba Kamwanyah

Ester Mbathera Political analysts have questioned whether the appointment of 22-year-old university student Fenny Tutjavi to Swapo's parliamentary list is a genuine attempt at youth empowerment or merely political tokenism. Tutjavi, who hails from the Erongo Region, was one of the youngest candidates chosen by Swapo vice president Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah for the party's parliamentary list. Veteran political analyst Joseph Diescho warned that while the inclusion of young people in leadership roles is commendable, the principles of democratic leadership must not be overlooked. “We tend to get carried away with ethnic and youth gesturing that is in essence undemocratic in the…

10 Sep

VP tells Junior Legislators to be a good influence on peers

National NewsJunior National Council.

Erasmus Shalihaxwe Vice-President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah encouraged junior national council members to strive to promote good moral, ethical and professional values by influencing their peers to avoid bad social behaviour such as drug or alcohol abuse and abstain from unsafe sex. She was speaking during Tuesday's official opening of the third session of the Junior National Council. She said social ills have a detrimental effect on young people’s education and their future. They should remember that the government aims to create a knowledge-based society. She added that this goal can only be achieved when learners, teachers, and parents take education seriously.…

10 Sep

Namibia and Botswana slash roaming charges

National News

Niël Terblanché In an effort to enhance regional cooperation and reduce communication costs, Namibia and Botswana have announced a major reduction in roaming charges for cross-border communication. Calls within Botswana that previously cost Botswana Pula (BWP) 7.28 per minute will now be reduced to BWP1.85 per minute, a decrease of 75%. Similarly, calls to Namibia have dropped by 64%, from BWP10.48 to BWP3.80 per minute. Data usage costs have seen even greater reductions, with the cost per megabyte dropping by over 90%, from BWP19.41 to BWP1.85. This development follows high-level discussions between Namibia’s Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (MICT)…

10 Sep

Gobabis residents threaten legal action over petition snub

National News

Hertta-Maria Amutenja The residents of Gobabis are threatening to take the municipality to court if their petition, which has been ignored for more than ten years, is not addressed. Community activist Veronia Mokaleng-Kuzeeko said the residents are growing frustrated with the lack of response from the municipality to several petitions submitted over the years. “We plan to take them to court because it’s been over ten years now that they are refusing to respond to our petitions. The municipality doesn’t even give us basic services. All that is there are issues of corruption. We cannot continue to organise demonstrations, and…

10 Sep

Namibians need to shift to a mindset of green industrialisation

National NewsGlobal African Hydrogen Summit, Green Hydrogen Business Alliance (H2BA)

Ester Mbathera and Martin Endjala A recent study has recommended that Namibia needs to adopt a green industrialisation mindset across the policymaking landscape, encouraging a shift from traditional approaches. The report titled "Localising Green Industries in Namibia" was commissioned by the Green Hydrogen Business Alliance (H2BA) on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and it was prepared by Systemiq between December 2023 and May 2024. The study was conducted at the request of Namibia’s Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) and Ministry of Industrialization and Trade (MIT), with support from the Deutsche Gesellschaft für…