Observer – Page 492 – Windhoek Observer

10 May

Political analyst welcomes women vying for high office

ObserverNational News

Stefanus Nashama Political Analyst, Ndumba Kamwayah says Namibia faces a surprising and mature political challenge, with more women intending to run for president, in the 2024 national elections. Kamwanyah says this is the first time in the political history of Namibia, that women are announcing their intention to run for the high office. Kamwanyah’s remarks came after Social Activist and Women’s Solidarity Namibia Director, Rosa Namises said she is willing to run for president. She also publicly encouraged more women to run for president in the 2024 elections. Namises said anyone can become president, regardless of their popularity. Last week,…

10 May

LPM unhappy with Lithium mining suspension

ObserverNational News

Martin Endjala The Landless People’s Movement Party Deputy Leader Henny Seibeb has appealed to the Standing Committee on Natural Resources to summon the Mines and Energy Minister Tom Alweendo, to answer and provide evidence in support of his decision to revoke the lithium license of Xinfeng Investment in the Daures Constituency. According to Seibeb, it is suspicious that the Minister’s decision to revoke the lithium license of Xinfeng Investment happened on the eve of the standing committee’s investigations and public hearing with leaders and community members on the matter. “This is sabotage to the standing committee’s work. In fact, I…

10 May

Man slits throat with Kitchen knife

ObserverNational News

Hertta-Maria Amutenja A 49 year-old man from Onandjila village in Omusati region brutally killed himself by slitting his throat with a kitchen knife last Sunday. The deceased, Jonas Iilonga, committed suicide in his shack at his mother’s homestead, according to Omusati Regional Commander, Commissioner Ismael Basson. “It is alleged that the deceased used a kitchen knife, to cut his throat, while he was in his sleeping shack. His mother found him and rushed him to the Okahao state hospital, together with their neighbors,” Basson explained. The deceased succumbed to his injuries hours later. Basson said no suicide note was left…

10 May

Namibia places well on the FDI map

ObserverNational News

Niël Terblanché Namibia scooped the first runner-up award in the ‘Best FDI Project’ category of the Investment Awards, hosted at the Annual Investment Meeting (AIM) 2023 currently underway in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The award was presented to the Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB), the investment promotion agency for Namibia for its work with the Kelp Blue investment project. The AIM bestows awards for the best FDI projects in each region of the world to recognize the accomplishment of the country in attracting sizable and beneficial investment projects and thus contributing to the economic growth and development…

10 May

Energy Ministry launches electronic fleet management system

ObserverObserver Money

Martin Endjala The Ministry of Mines and Energy yesterday launched its new Fleet Management System in Windhoek. “This occasion undoubtedly represents a significant milestone in the management of the Ministry, and in the Government transport system, as it will enable us to improve and deliver basic services to all our people, especially those residing in widespread areas where our services are needed,” Deputy Minister Kornelia Shilunga said. Shilunga stated that the Ministry is committed to delivering services at the doorstep of communities, to ensure that they access basic services such as electricity, that can make a significant difference in their…

10 May

FIMA technical committee inauguration on Monday

ObserverObserver Money

Hertta-Maria Amutenja The Financial Institutions and Markets Act of 2021 (FIMA) Technical Committee will be officially inaugurated by Finance Minister Iipumbu Shiimi next week. Wilson Shikoto, the Finance Ministry’s Spokesperson announced that Shiimi referred the Act, which has been experiencing issues with the preservation of retirement benefits, to a technical committee last year. “The Minister will inaugurate the technical committee for consultation. The committee is going to consult on the standard and regulations of FIMA. When people were concerned with the FIMA regulations last year, it was then suspended to allow enough time for consultations,” Shikoto said. The committee will…

10 May

Nampower’s defaulters to face load shedding from June…Debt exceeds N$1 Billion

ObserverMainNampower’s defaulters to face load shedding from June…Debt exceeds N$1 Billion

Niël Terblanché About three-quarters of Namibia’s population is staring into the dark abyss of chronic electricity supply interruption because of bad debt. Outstanding debt to the National Power Corporation, NamPower has escalated to more than N$1 billion.In an announcement issued by NamPower’s Managing Director, Simson Haulofu, the utility company said that it set to introduce a gradual disconnection schedule to two regional electricity distributors, one regional council and 19 local authorities across the country.This gradual interruption schedule will leave the four most densely populated regions of the country, residents of Windhoek and large swathes of the south without power for…

09 May

Advocate’s bribery charge thrown out due to lack of evidence

ObserverFeaturedAdvocate’s bribery charge thrown out due to lack of evidence

Hertta-Maria Amiutenja The state has withdrawn its bribery charge against Advcocate Eliaser Nekwaya, who was arrested last weekend after he allegedly attempted to bribe police officers with N$ 10 000, after his associate, Lawyer Henry Shimutwikeni was arrested on allegations of driving under the influence of alcohol. Sources revealed that the lawyers were coming from a popular night club in Windhoek before they were intercepted by police officers. Shimutwikeni now faces a charge of bribery, driving under the influence of alcohol and refusing to take a breathalyzer. Sisa Namandje who represented Nekwaya said they have been informed by the state…

09 May

Chinese Lithium miners labeledfrauds as Minister revokes license

ObserverNational NewsChinese Lithium miners labeledfrauds as Minister revokes license

Niël Terblanché The process of awarding a lithium mining license to Xinfeng Investment (Pty) Ltd was flawed from the start while allegations of corruption and other fraudulent dealings eventually led to the complete revocation of the company’s right to mine and export lithium from Namibia’s shores. The Minister of Mines and Energy, Tom Alweendo, in a letter to lithium miner, Zhou Hao informed of his decision to revoke Mining License 243 situated in the Exclusive Prospecting License (EPL) 7228 area near the small desert settlement of Uis. Alweendo said that during the application for ML 243, Xinfeng deliberately included misleading,…

09 May

WHO declares COVID-19 emergency as something of the past

ObserverNational NewsWHO declares COVID-19 emergency as something of the past

Niël Terblanché Despite the World Health Organization (WHO) declaring that Covid-19 no longer represents a global health emergency, Namibians might still get infected with the latest evolution of the SARS-CoV2 virus. The Minister of Health and Social Services, Kalumbi Shangula, has warned Namibians that although the danger of the illness brought on by the virus has waned, infection is still possible and that immune-compromised individuals might still experience adverse effects from it. “Because of all the steps we took in concert with the international community, Namibia moved out of the health emergency status in July 2022 already. Other countries in…