Observer – Page 779 – Windhoek Observer

05 Dec

Couch Cat – Thieves are snatching wigs!

ObserverUncategorisedThieves are snatching wigs!

Jackie Wilson Asheeke I read that in some towns up North, thieves are snatching wigs off women’s head to resell them. Has life in Namibia sunk to this all-time low? First, let me stop laughing. Then, let me say, Yuck. Imagine wearing some unknown unhygienic hair from another sista’s lice, sweat, or dandruff filled scalp on your head? I mean really? It is a health risk to wear unwashed wig hair from someone else’s head. If some insane thief goes for my wig, I am goin’ completely ‘hood. I am takin’ off my shoes and running him down right there…

05 Dec

Hail democratic pluralism, checkmate development

ObserverUncategorisedHail democratic pluralism, Regional and Local Authority Elections results

Kae Matundu-Tjiparuro Which way now? Yours Truly Ideologically cannot but muse in the aftermath of the Regional and Local Authority Elections results, which by any means have not been conclusive in terms of any party winning a majority in most of the regional and local authority councils, The more things change (or seems to change), the more they remain the same. Yours Truly Ideologically observed in the last installment. Similarly the results cannot but invoke and echo same feelings. Because as alluded to in the opening paragraph, they are inconclusive. Yes, the voters may have spoken. But what exactly have…

05 Dec

The Time Traveler: Much Ado About Nothing

ObserverUncategorisedMuch Ado About Nothing, Nico Horn, President Geingob’s remarks white Namibians allegedly voting en masse against SWAPO

Hugh Ellis As a white Namibian - though I would prefer to be known simply as a Namibian - I am not in the least bothered by President Geingob’s recent remarks on white Namibians allegedly voting en masse against SWAPO. In October Geingob said he had noted with concern a supposed trend in which white Namibians have been registering themselves ‘in big numbers’ to vote in the regional and local elections. Geingob charged these people ‘declared war’ against the ruling party and want to vote for ‘anything else but SWAPO’. This was despite SWAPO making sure that white people ‘enjoy…

05 Dec

Young and unemployed in a pandemic

ObserverUncategorisedYoung and unemployed

Khanyiswa Mogotsi We have reached the end of the year and I cannot help but release a sigh of relief after the year I and many other people have had. Although, I am aware that other people had a harder time navigating adjusting to life in the pandemic, I can only speak on how awful, depressing and poor my experience has been A little background context, I am a 22-year old final year student at NUST who has currently returned to her parents’ house because of the pandemic. At the start of the year, I had just started a new…

05 Dec

Has Iipinge signaled Swapo’s response to its setbacks?

ObserverUncategorisedHofni Iipinge, Swapo Party Youth League (SPYL)

Jackie Wilson Asheeke The social media comments of Swapo Party Youth League (SPYL) secretary for educations Hofni Iipinge are destructive. He taunted newly elected local leaders by stating that they can do nothing without the Swapo controlled central government. He is doing a victory dance on the heads of people in Namibia who are desperate for support and reassurance from a stable government. He implied that Swapo would frustrate elected officials of other parties by blocking program funds meant to help the suffering Namibian people. Such statements tend to indicate that Iipinge has no idea of how political power works.…

05 Dec

And so it begins

ObserverUncategorisedAmupanda, andless Peoples Movement (LPM), Bernadus Swartbooi, Swartbooi Land Grabbing Program.

Grab your political popcorn and prepare to watch the show. The Landless Peoples Movement (LPM) Leader Bernadus Swartbooi, ever the lightning rod for populist politics, now says that people who decide that they are too poor to buy land should take up residence on unoccupied state land. The Council led by Amupanda whose rise to fame began with just such an action must show his mettle. He must be definitive and speak from strength. He should step back, smile and put Swartbooi in charge of the entire effort. Let the people know about the Swartbooi Land Grabbing Program. Let the…

05 Dec

Education and child marriage in focus …as MPs meet to discuss impact of COVID-19

ObserverObserver Moneychild marriage, East and Southern Africa, United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), Yvette Kathurima Muhia

Moses Magadza WINDHOEK - Data generated by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) shows that there has been a marked decrease in the prevalence of child marriage in East and Southern Africa, but a spike of such cases in West and Central Africa, according to an official. Ms Yvette Kathurima Muhia, the Head of Engagement at Girls Not Brides – an organisation that brings together more than 1000 Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) striving to end child marriage globally – recently told SADC PF Members of Parliament that progress against the phenomenon had not been uniform across all regions. The lawmakers…

05 Dec

Shangula issues warning amid rising COVID cases

ObserverUncategorisedCOVID-19 positive cases, Dr Kalumbi Shangula, Khomas Region

Clifton Movirongo Health minister Dr Kalumbi Shangula says the ministry does not wish to return to a situation when it becomes imperative to re-introduce restrictive measures amid rising COVID-19 positive cases in the Khomas region. This comes as Namibia has recorded a total number of 303 new COVID-19 confirmed cases in the last 48 hours as Khomas region records an alarming number of 117 positive cases out of 181 cases reported on Friday, 4 December. On Thursday, Namibia recorded 122 positive cases of COVID-19. “The significant increase in the number of confirmed cases across country is worrisome especially coming at…

05 Dec

NUST VC judgment postponed

ObserverUncategorisedDr Erold Naomab, Professor Frednard Gideon, Vice-Chancellor of Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST)

Helena Johannes The High Court is set to deliver its judgement in the case where Professor Frednard Gideon is challenging the appointment of Dr Erold Naomab as the newly appointed Vice-Chancellor of Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) to the 9th December 2020, Lawyer Sisa Namandje has revealed. This comes after the case was heard in the High Court on Friday, the 4th of December 2020. Namandje and his client, Professor Frednard Gideon, are seeking to set aside the NUST Council decision made on the 12th of November 2020 to select Naomab as their preferred candidate to be appointed…

05 Dec

LPM challenges election rerun bid

ObserverUncategorisedEdson Isaaks, Hardap Region, Landless People’s Movement (LPM)

Andrew Kathindi Landless People’s Movement (LPM) has filed an urgent application to the High Court to oppose Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN)’s case to have the results of the elections in Aroab and Koës local authorities in the //Kharas region and Stampriet and Mariental Rural constituency in the Hardap region voided. According to the party, an election re-run in areas of the southern region where it currently has a stronghold would be a waste of taxpayer money. “When you look at it, only about 67 votes is where there are disparities and we’re saying, those 67 votes don’t make any…