Windhoek Observer

Hertta-Maria Amutenja The British High Commission in Windhoek has confirmed that Panduleni Itula, leader of the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) and a presidential candidate in the 2024 Namibian general elections, is not and has never been a British citizen. This confirmation comes amid ongoing speculation regarding Itula’s citizenship status, a topic that has sparked public debate and raised questions about his eligibility to contest for Namibia’s highest office. “Dr. Panduleni Itula is not and has never been a British citizen,” said Lwimba Mufune, the communications and political officer at the high commission. According to UK government guidelines on citizenship,…

Martin Endjala The Ministry of Defence and Veterans Affairs (MODVA) is under scrutiny following allegations of a fabricated quotation of N$8 million for a single spare part. In a letter dated 22 November from Windhoeker Maschinen Fabrik (WMF) which was cited by the ministry last week as having sold the part, raised questions about the authenticity of the quotation presented to the public. The matter first came to light on 19 November, when Affirmative Repositioning (AR) party leader Job Amupanda questioned the quotation. The MODVA denied the allegations during a press conference last week. Colonel Petrus Anton, the managing director…

Stefanus Nashama McHenry Venaani, the leader of the Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) claimed that the party is alone in its quest to hold the Swapo-led government accountable. While addressing the party’s final rally in Windhoek on Sunday, Venaani stated that the PDM has a proven track record of holding the government accountable. “There is no political party in Namibia that has the legislative record, experience, maturity and holding government to account,” said Venaani. He believes the PDM has the legislative experience necessary to form its own government. Venaani said PDM’s record is unmixed since it has fought against unemployment in…

Allexer Namundjembo Leaders of different student unions have blamed UNAM for letting students write their final examinations without knowing if they have qualified for them or not. This follows an incident last week during which a male student held his lecturer at gunpoint and demanded that the lecturer change his marks. According to Natangwe Shikesho, the president of the Student Union of Namibia, UNAM has recklessly permitted students to take exams without verifying their eligibility. “We regret the unfortunate situation, and we do encourage students to follow the right procedures to resolve the matter. However, this is a testimony of…

Martin Endjala NamWater and MTC signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Monday aimed at addressing Namibia's water infrastructure challenges. Abraham Nehemia, NamWater’s chief executive officer, described the partnership as a transformative step for the country’s water sector. “By leveraging cutting-edge technology and embarking on initiatives such as smart water metering, digital transformation, and capacity building, we are paving the way for innovative and sustainable solutions,” he said. He explained that the MoU represents more than just an agreement, calling it a commitment to improving efficiency, reducing water losses, and enhancing service delivery for all Namibians. Nehemia emphasized that this…

Niël Terblanché The planned maintenance shutdown for the service and repair of the Erongo Desalination Plant (EDP) has been successfully concluded. According to Christine de Klerk, the spokesperson for Orano, which operates the EDP, water production resumed early on Saturday morning. Since then, the plant has already produced more than 40 000 cubic metres of fresh water. “An unexpected pipeline breakage between Swakopmund and the Omdel aquifer, unfortunately, occurred while the desalination plant was offline for repairs and maintenance. This resulted in the water supply to Swakopmund being reduced to a bare minimum,” De Klerk said. She added that, with…

Niël Terblanché The commitment to excellence, discipline, and service to the nation of officers of the Namibian Police was rewarded with ranks and promotions at a special parade at the Israel Patrick Iyambo Police College in Windhoek on Monday. Nearly 3 000 officers received their promotions and ranks during the parade. The promotions, which became effective on 1 November, saw 2 990 officers promoted. Of this number 1 342 are women and 1 648 men. The Inspector General of the Namibian Police, Lieutenant General Joseph Shikongo presided over the event, where the commitment and dedication of the nation’s law enforcement…

Mallex Shipanga Sewage water has flooded the streets of the Kuisebmund residential area in Walvis Bay. This is particularly evident at the intersection of David Hambunda Street and Nathanael Maxuilili Street, which are the streets directly opposite the Kuisebmund stadium. Kuisebmund resident, Efraim Nanghama took to social media complaining about the sewage floods. “The place is overpopulated. We now have 100 000 residents living in Kuisebmund. A house that was made to accommodate one family now has 20 shacks. That's why we have this kind of problem,” Nanghama said. The Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA) in its 2023 Population and Housing…

Hertta-Maria Amutenja The Ministry of Agriculture, the Government of Namibia, the attorney general, and Hango Nambinga have applied for leave to appeal to the Supreme Court of Namibia. The High Court issued two judgments on 5 September 2023 and 25 October 2024, and a specific portion of the order on 25 October 2024, in response to Job Amupanda's challenge to the veterinary cordon fence, also known as the "red line." The applicants argue that the High Court made several legal and factual errors in a notice they filed with the court on November 15. "The court erred in finding that…