Observer – Page 720 – Windhoek Observer

07 Sep

Traditional leaders plead with Parley not to endorse genocide deal

ObserverObserver MoneyNama Council for Dialogue (ONCD), Ovaherero, Ovambanderu

Staff Writer Prominent chiefs and traditional authorities who have been part of the genocide negotiating process with Germany, are pleading the Namibian Parliament not to endorse the genocide agreement reached in Berlin. In a statement issued at a media conference on Monday, and signed by representatives of five traditional authorities, the Ovaherero and Nama descendants of the 1904-08 genocide issued a final stand on the agreement between Germany and the Namibian Government in which Berlin agreed to pay about 1,1 billion euros (N$18 billion) over 30 years as compensation. The Maherero, Zeraeua, Kambazembi and Mureti Royal Traditional authorities and the…

07 Sep

OTA, NTLA, LPM, Nudo and IPC reiterate Joint Declaration rejection chorus

ObserverObserver MoneyLMP, Nama Traditional Leaders Association (NTLA), NUDO, OTA, Ovaherero Traditional Authority (OTA)

Kandjemuni Kamuiiri Four political parties and Ovaherero Traditional Authority (OTA) as well as the Nama Traditional Leaders Association (NTLA), have repeated their chorus rejection of the Joint Declaration at a media conference at the Ovaherero Commando Hall. The OTA and NTLA repeated this chorus together with the National Unity Democratic Organisation (Nudo), the Landless People’s Movement (LPM), and the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC). Nudo’s, Ester Muinjangue as well as the other political and local representatives maintained their position and shared their sentiments on the reconciliation deal and the way forward. “We are jointly rejecting the Joint German-Namibia Declaration which…

05 Sep

No resting in peace KK but now than ever your spirit must live on!

ObserverUncategorisedGenocide, Kazenambo Kazenambo

After about two weeks of endless tributes, some heartfelt, others which may eventually prove purely opportunistic, the casket containing the mortal remains of a real son of the soil, KK, as Kazenambo Kazenambo came to be known to both friend and foe, was on Saturday, August 28, lowered into the grave to presumably forever commit KK to eternity, and likewise for some his legacy. Going by the popular comforting Biblical verse often afforded and accorded the bereaved family and loved ones of the departed, if not the departed herself/himself, Yours Truly Ideologically fall in line echoing the said verse: Two…

05 Sep

Covid testing and tourism

ObserverUncategorisedCOVID, Ministry of Environment and Tourism, tourism

The hard-hit tourism sector has pushed the Ministry of Environment and Tourism to support new wording in the Covid restrictions for entering visitors. The Ministry has agreed to review the regulations regarding when the 72-hour Covid-free test must be done for tourists. It seems the current language regarding entry restrictions for tourists that is applicable until 15 September says arriving tourists must present a test result that is no older than 72 hours from the date the test was taken. The tourism industry in Namibia appears to want the rule’s language adjusted to say that an acceptable test result must…

05 Sep

Govt cuts costs and staff at diplomatic missions abroad

ObserverObserver MoneyDeputy Prime Minister and Mirco Minister, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah

Kandjemuni Kamuiiri THE Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation (Mirco)’s Executive Director, Penda Naanda, says the ministry has implemented cost cutting measures at various missions abroad. This is in a response to questions sent by Windhoek Observer and comes after the Deputy Prime Minister and Mirco Minister, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, in a general staff meeting at the Namibian Institute of Public Administration and Management (Nipam) this February 2021 in view of the economic outlook in the country, directed all officers, ministries and agencies to reduce expenditure. According to Naanda, based on the implementation of the directives by Treasury, cost cutting measures…

05 Sep

Botswana genocide descendants seek engagement with Germany in own right

ObserverObserver MoneyNama, Ovaherero, Ovambanderu

Staff Writer Nama, Ovaherero and Ovambanderu Batswana of Namibian descent, descendants of the victims and survivors of the 1904-1908 genocide, are pleading with the government of the Federal Republic of Germany. This for a mutually agreeable manner of Germany owning up to what happened to their forebears in a similar way other perpetrators of genocide owned up. The descendants this morning (Friday) handed over a petition to the German ambassador in Gaborone, Botswana, Margit Hellwig-Bötte, reminding the Berlin government of their engagement in 2017 with Hellwig-Bötte, when she advised them to seek audience with the Namibian government on this matter…

05 Sep

MTC aims to raise N$3.5 billion in share offer

ObserverObserver MoneyMOBILE Telecommunications Company (MTC), MTC’s board chairperson, Theo Mberirua

MOBILE Telecommunications Company (MTC) intends raising between N$3 and N$3.5 billion by offering a total of 367,5 million ordinary shares to the public during its public offer, the company announced on Friday. Highlighting government decided to list MTC, Minister of Public Enterprises, Leon Jooste says: “The first objective was to develop the country’s financial sector. The financial sector is critical to the economic development. Currently a significant amount of savings leaves the country for investment outlets in other countries. These savings can now be invested at home in MTC. Through our pension funds and insurance policies many Namibians will now…

03 Sep

Rössing mulling expending lifespan to 2026

ObserverUncategorisedJohan Coetzee, Rössing Uranium Limited

CHAMWE KAIRA Rössing Uranium Limited is considering expanding the lifespan of the mine by another 10 years to 2036, Managing Director Johan Coetzee has said in an interview. Rössing Uranium Limited started production in 1976 and this year celebrated 45 years of production. “The mine is currently operating on an approved Life of Mine plan to 2026, however the Rössing Board of Directors granted formal approval to commence with a Feasibility Study (FS) to potentially extend the Life of Mine (LoME) from 2026 by another 10 years, in line with its recently approved Mine Licence extension to 2036,” Coetzee said.…

03 Sep

Covid-19 impacts mining devastatingly

ObserverObserver MoneyChamber of Mines, Covid-19

THE Covid-19 pandemic had a devastating operational impact on the Namibian mining industry particularly reduced production due to logistical changes, supply disruptions and suppressed global demand for mineral commodities. In addition to trade restriction on non-essential items, sourcing specialised skills was a challenge due to border restrictions, shortage of staff and increased Covid-19 cases. According to a presentation at the Chamber of Mines 2021 virtual Mining Conference, as at 27 August, there were 3 179 confirmed cases for Chamber of Mines members, although 3113 recovered leaving 28 active cases. A total of 38 deaths due to the virus were reported.…

03 Sep

Ndjarakana dumps SWAPO over genocide

ObserverObserver MoneyMbeuta Ua-Ndjarakana, Ovaherero, Sophia Shaningwa, Swapo Party of Namibia

STAFF WRITER THE Executive Director in the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (MICT), Mbeuta Ua-Ndjarakana, has resigned from the Swapo Party of Namibia. In a letter addressed to party Secretary General, Sophia Shaningwa, Ua-Ndjarakana says he was dumping the ruling party because Swapo has turned a blind eye and deaf ear to the plight of the descendants of the victims of the 1904-1908 genocide in which they lost everything including ancestral land. An estimated 100 000 Ovaherero, 10 000 Nama and an undisclosed number of San people were annihilated in the brutal aggression unleashed on them by German colonisers.…