Observer – Page 694 – Windhoek Observer

14 Apr

I have failed – Sam Shivute . . . as employees demand NHE CEO exit

ObserverObserver MoneyNamRA Commissioner, National Housing Enterprise (NHE), Sam Shivute

Kandjemuni Kamuiiri and Rose-Mary Haufiku National Housing Enterprise (NHE) Board Chairperson, Sam Shivute, has admitted failure in providing low cost housing. The admittance by the recently appointed NamRA Commissioner comes as the NHE is in crisis over the Board’s decision to renew Chief Executive Officer(CEO), Gisbertus Mukulu’s term for another five years amid allegations of incompetence. The former Okahao Town council CEO was appointed in 2016 without Cabinet’s approval, amidst assertion that former Omusati Governor, former Local Government minister, and current Swapo Secretary General, Sophia Shaningwa, had a hand in the appointment. “Yes, we did not build the 1250 houses…

13 Apr

Stanford Seed programme, a growth catalyst for entrepreneurs

ObserverUncategorisedDe Beers Group, Southern Africa Seed Transformation Program (STP), Stanford Graduate School of Business, Stanford Seed Transformation initiative

Staff Writer The Stanford Seed Transformation initiative, is a programme which partners with entrepreneurs in emerging markets to build successful enterprises that transform lives. It has returned at a timely opportunity for Namibian entrepreneurs to expand their capacity to succeed. The programme, a collaboration between the Stanford Graduate School of Business and the De Beers Group, allows leaders to gain critical skills to grow their companies and create jobs which in turn will lead their regions to greater prosperity. With applications for the 2021/22 Southern Africa Seed Transformation Program (STP) now open, entrepreneurs with a mind-set to grow their businesses…

13 Apr

NHE board calls for crisis meeting

ObserverObserver MoneyGisbertus Mukulu, National Housing Enterprise (NHE), Sam Shivute

Maria Hamutenya and Andrew Kathindi The National Housing Enterprise (NHE) Board has scheduled a crisis meeting with the organisation’s managers following the surfacing of a damning letter where they accused Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Gisbertus Mukulu, of incompetence. In the letter, company management stated that the employment contract of the CEO must not be renewed when it ends on 30 June, pointing out that since the appointment of Makulu as CEO, the NHE failed to achieve two critical objectives of its strategic plan, growing the loan book and building 1250 houses annually. According to the approved NHE strategic plan 2017-2022…

13 Apr

Hatuikulipi, Shanghala plead privacy over smuggled cell phones

ObserverObserver MoneyJames Hatuikulipi, Sacky Shanghala

Andrew Kathindi The Fishrot accused James Hatuikulipi and former Justice Minister, Sacky Shanghala who were caught with smuggled phones two weeks ago at Windhoek Central, are stating that the gadgets were required to avoid their conversations being recorded by the correctional services’ recording system. Although it is unknown for how long the two have had the mobile phones, they were found in possession of two devices following a search of their cells after a report had been lodged by prison officers of suspicious activity by the two. “During the interviews with them, what they indicated is that they were using…

10 Apr

Indigenous Intelligentsia must push and drive the genocide narrative

ObserverUncategorisedIndigenous Intelligentsia must push and drive the genocide narrative

Kae Matundu-Tjiparuro Like Yours Truly Ideologically postulated in initial instalments, that there’s no question that the genocide committed against the indigenous people of Namibia during the colonial penetration of Namibia, then German South West Africa, being colonial in form, was also Capitalist in content. First and foremost it was initiated and driven by German and European traders, supported by their imperial allies like missionaries (religions), intelligentsia (researchers, scholars and academicians, notably anthropologist and ethnic geneticists, and ultimately and eventually German politicians and the German imperial government and State, which reluctantly joined the scramble for colonies to provide for liebensraum (living…

10 Apr

The Time Traveler: Let’s do the SlutWalk again!

ObserverUncategorisedLet’s do the SlutWalk again!, protest march, Toronto

Hugh Ellis If you told me 20 years ago that I would be attending a protest march of, among others, scantily-clad women, and some men, I’d have laughed it off. But that’s exactly what I’ll be doing on Saturday morning, when I join the second annual SlutShameWalk. Back then, I would perhaps have been called a ‘Christian conservative’, whatever that may have meant. I was all about human rights and all, but I would have looked down on a raucous protest, much less one where some young women were showing quite a bit of thigh, or even a very low…

10 Apr

Swapo suspensions late – former PM, analysts

ObserverUncategorisedBernard Esau, Nahas Angula, Political Bureau (politburo)., Sacky Shanghala, Swapo suspensions late

Andrew Kathindi, Kandjemuni Kamuiiri Former Prime Minister of Namibia, Nahas Angula, is questioning why it has taken the Swapo Party of Namibia so long to suspend Fishrot accused, Sacky Shanghala and Bernard Esau, from the ruling party's central committee and Political Bureau (politburo). Swapo announced that the party had resolved at a Political Bureau (PB) meeting held on 31 March chaired by President Hage Geingob, to remove Esau from the politburo and to suspend both Esau and Shanghala from the party's central committee. "It's better now than never. But for sure it took such a long a time. There is…

10 Apr

Namib Mills, Agra in racism storm

ObserverUncategorisedAgra, Employment Equity Commission, Namib Mills, Otniel Podewiltz, racism storm

Rose-Mary Haufiku Namib Mills and Agra have been caught in a racism storm, amid allegations that the companies are practicing racial discrimination in recruitment, appointments, promotions and how they deal with work place issues concerning people of colour. In the case of Agra, documents from the Employment Equity Commission, which is tasked with addressing issues of transformation in organisations and in possession of the Windhoek Observer, show that the company has only appointed two persons of colour to senior and middle management positions since 2016, compared to 31 racially advantaged individuals. “The Commission wishes to use this opportunity to once…

09 Apr

COVID saves Govt millions in S&T

ObserverObserver MoneyCovid-19, Government, Ministry of Finance Spokesperson, Tonateni Shidhudhu

Kandjemuni Kamuiiri The restrictions on travel due to COVID-19 have saved government N$105.7 million in travel allowances. According to Ministry of Finance Spokesperson, Tonateni Shidhudhu, a 34.06 percent cost saving was achieved in 2020/2021 compared to the last financial year’s (2019/2020) expenditure. He added that a 56.81 percent saving had been achieved for the Daily Subsistence Allowance (DSA) compared to the last financial year. Shidhudhu said only 51.33 percent was spent, of which DSA gobbled up over N$105 million for the period April 2021 to December 2021, compared to the N$243,1 million ,of which 78.4 percent was spent from the…

09 Apr

Geingob removes Vilho as MP

ObserverObserver MoneyFormer Defence and Veteran Affairs Minister, Parliament, Peter Vilho, president Hage Geingob

Rose-Mary Haufiku Former Defence and Veteran Affairs Minister, Peter Vilho, has been withdrawn as a Member of Parliament (MP) by President Hage Geingob as a presidential nominee. The withdrawal of Vilho comes after Geingob on Thursday wrote a letter to Parliament informing it of his decision. The development comes after Vilho resigned his position as Defence Minister on Tuesday after an afternoon-long meeting with the President, after having been summoned. National Assembly Spokesperson, David Nahogandja, confirmed the development, stating that Parliament had received the letter informing it of the President’s decision. The withdrawal of Vilho creates room for the President…