Observer

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Ministry not backing down on court challenge
19 May

Ministry not backing down on court challenge

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Staff Writer The Minister of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security says it’s not backing down from legal challenges currently before courts after it issued travel documents to twin daughters of same sex couple Phillip, Guillermo Delgado. Executive Director of Home Affairs, Etienne Maritz, was quick to point out that, “the issued travel certificates do not confer Namibian citizenship on the twins and the issuance must not be construed to be a concession on the Minister's part that the twins are Namibian citizens.” The travel documents were issued after an applications for emergency travel certificates were received at the Namibian…
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Public service wage bill to cost N$29 billion this year
19 May

Public service wage bill to cost N$29 billion this year

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Kandjemuni Kamuiiri It has emerged that Namibia will fork out a total of N$29 billion for salaries and benefits for its civil service this year, which translates into about N$2.4 billion monthly. According to the Minister of Finance, Iipumbu Shiimi, “annually we spend N$29 billion and if you divide that by 12 it would roughly be N$2,4 billion to N$2,5 billion monthly, same goes for last year. It’s more or less the same.” This revelation has raised concern whether Government could afford it considering its precarious financial position, with the minister maintaining that Government will still continue to honour bonuses,…
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18 May

Moving the needle on Infrastructure Development … ‘An Allocator’s perspective’

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Sara Mezui Engo Much discourse has taken place on the catalytic role of infrastructure development in spurring economic growth and attracting investment. Similarly, policy makers have responded in the form of NDP 5; HPP2; SDG; Climate resilience forums; PPP 1legislation and the Namibia Financial Sector Strategy, which through regulatory provisions, enforced contractual savings to increase domestic asset allocation. Furthermore, institutions have been set up to support the cause, in particular the Private Public Partnership unit at Ministry of Finance (MoF) and the Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB). In addition, through HPP2 government offices, ministries, and agencies (OMAs) have…
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‘Rushed’ genocide deal questioned
18 May

‘Rushed’ genocide deal questioned

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Kandjemuni Kamuiiri Concerns have been raised around the agreement reached between Namibia and Germany over the Nama and Ovaherero genocide reparations. This is amid concerns the imminent deal was rushed and might not come out in the best interest of Namibia after almost six years of negotiations. According to political analyst, Henning Melber, the announced agreement set to be signed in two weeks’ time, will be in the best interest of Germany, as it brings the negotiations to a close ahead of the country’s elections scheduled for September. “This might not have been in the best strategic interest of the…
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LPM lodges Supreme Court appeal
18 May

LPM lodges Supreme Court appeal

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Andrew Kathindi The Landless People’s Movement (LPM) has lodged an appeal against the Supreme Court a decision by High Court Judge Kobus Miller, to dismiss its leader, Bernardus Swartbooi, and Henny Seibeb’s application against Speaker of Parliament, Peter Katjavivi. The application was to set aside Katjavivi’s indefinite suspension of the two LPM leaders from Parliament’s Chamber following their forceful removal after being deemed disruptive during President Hage Geingob’s parliamentary state of the nation address last month. The High Court dismissed the application with costs. The appeal was lodged last week on 12 May. The LPM legal representatives argued that Judge…
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Namibia in push to legalise homosexuality
18 May

Namibia in push to legalise homosexuality

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Andrew Kathindi The Namibian Government is forging ahead with plans to terminate a law that has made the practice of homosexuality in the country illegal. The development could see the particular law being overturned before the end of the year. Justice Minister, Yvonne Dausab , confirmed to Windhoek Observer that she has committed to submit draft regulations to Cabinet in two weeks at the deliberative meeting. “After which it will go through the normal law-making process: principal approval from Cabinet, scrutiny from the Cabinet Committee on Legislation (CCL), possible further discussions with the Law Reform and Development Commission (LRDC), certification…
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15 May

No more room for ideological errors and opportunism

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Kae Matundu-Tjiparoro In many aspects and respects than one there’s no time than now that the writing must be clearly on the wall for all and sundry, especially true revolutionaries, to see for themselves. Time and again, one has been hearing the cliché, from especially politicians, ruling, and ruling is the appropriate word to describe the political system prevalent in Namibia. Ruling as opposed to governing. Because Namibians during the last 31 years of freedom, independence, sovereignty, justice, you can mention all the adjectives imaginable, has indeed been ruled. Liken ruling in this sense with an archaic political systems and…
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15 May

Africa’s Covid-19 vaccination woes present a pandemic paradox

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One year into the Covid-19 pandemic, African countries are staring at a daunting new triple challenge: vaccine shortage, vaccine hesitancy, and perception of dwindling virus risk. Health officials see what happens elsewhere in the world – especially India right now – and worry which regions will get hit next. Vaccine hesitancy Even amidst grim vaccine shortages, some countries are destroying their first consignment of COVAX vaccines, which are now past their expiration dates. Millions of doses delivered to the continent were never used and have been stockpiled in warehouses across the continent. Malawi and South Sudan are the latest countries…
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Dennis Noa remains in custody
15 May

Dennis Noa remains in custody

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Kandjemuni Kamuiiri Dennis Noa, son of Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Director, Paulus Noa, made his second appearance on Friday at Katutura Magistrate court, facing charges of sexually violating an 18- year-old male patient at Katutura Hospital. According to magistrate Shikalepo Atutala Namwenyo, investigations are still not finalized. “The matter is scheduled for further investigations, which are outstanding as they have additional statements to be obtained, and further analysis from the lab (Nation Forensic Science Institution of Namibia) to be obtained. We have agreed the date of 22 July 2021 for further investigations,” Namwenyo stated. The magistrate added that “the objections to…
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Shangula rules out CDC mask guidelines
15 May

Shangula rules out CDC mask guidelines

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Andrew Kathindi Namibia has ruled out new guidelines from the Centre for Disease Control (CDC) (USA) that people who have been vaccinated against COVID-19 do not have to wear masks or adhere to social distancing in most settings. According to the Minister of Health and Social Services (MoHSS) , Kalumbi Shangula, people who have been vaccinated are not necessarily out of the woods yet. “We are doing exactly what we are doing now. We are not changing anything,” said Shangula. “I will then see, what is the basis for them saying so. Because if you’re vaccinated, you don’t immediately develop…
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