Windhoek Observer – Page 8 – Windhoek Observer

09 Dec

Free tertiary education: Steenkampwarns against over-enrolment …NSFAF lowers income loan threshold to N$100 000

Main

Renthia Kaimbi The minister of education, Sanet Steenkamp, has warned universities and vocational centres not to over-enrol students as the government prepares to roll out fully subsidised tertiary education next year. Steenkamp issued the caution yesterday during the launch of the new funding model, which fulfills a commitment made by President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah in her April state of the nation address. Starting in the 2026 academic year, the government will pay 100% of registration and tuition fees for first-time undergraduate students at public and private universities and for trainees in primary trades at vocational training centres. Students will still be…

08 Dec

IN A WORLD OF GIANTS AFRICA CANNOT BE A PAWN IN THE BATTLE FOR SOVEREIGNTY

Opinions

PAUL T. SHIPALE (with inputs by Folito Nghitongovali Diawara Gaspar) Why are African leaders so silent? Why, at a moment when the continent’s dignity is being tested, do so many African Heads of State seem content to look away, turning a deaf ear as if nothing is happening? Why is there no united front, no public indignation, no clear voice defending the sovereignty of Africa’s people? These questions are not asked to provoke disrespect but to expose a painful truth: African leadership risks becoming complicit through silence. Steve Biko warned us about this long ago. “The most potent weapon in…

08 Dec

The death of arts and culture in Namibia: A crisis of custodianship

Opinions

Recently, I received a visit from a Nigerian colleague who had travelled to Namibia to consult on nationhood branding.As we walked through Windhoek’s central district, he stopped abruptly, surveyed the cityscape, and asked with visible confusion, “Where are your cultural markers?” A few minutes later, after observing more concrete, glass, and corporate branding than any trace of Namibian cultural presence, he looked at me and said, “You guys are so culturally cautious that you are killing your identity.” His remark, although delivered lightly, struck me with unexpected force. It was embarrassing, not only because he was right, but because his…

08 Dec

Faulty appeal ends BoN bid to remove judge in Trustco liquidation

National News

Justicia Shipena A High Court judge will continue presiding over the Bank of Namibia’s liquidation application against Trustco Bank. The Supreme Court struck the central bank’s appeal after finding that it failed to file a valid notice of appeal. The judgement, delivered on Thursday, found that the appeal did not meet the basic procedural rules required for the court to hear the matter. This comes as the Bank of Namibia has been trying to challenge the judge’s refusal to recuse herself from the liquidation case. The bank argued that judge Eileen Rakow would not approach the matter with an open…

08 Dec

RP breaks the vows of its coalition marriage with ratepayers group

National News

Renthia Kaimbi The Republican Party (RP) ended its pact with the Henties Bay Ratepayers Association (HRPA) after a last-minute decision to replace the HRPA’s candidate on its council list, triggering a public fallout between the two groups. The move came days before the swearing-in ceremony. Manfred Katjoko was sworn in as a town councillor on Friday and appointed to the management committee. He filled the second RP seat, replacing Willem Jansen, whose name had already been gazetted on the list submitted to the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN). RP president Henk Mudge accused Jansen of insubordination and said the party…

08 Dec

Gariseb: Coalition instability led to Swapo dominance in Windhoek

National News

Allexer Namundjembo Opposition lost power in Windhoek because the coalition collapsed almost immediately after taking office in 2020, says community activist Shaun Gariseb. He believes the result opened the door for Swapo’s return to the city’s political leadership in 2025. “Opposition failed in the very first year when the coalition was spoilt and councillors got captured by technocrats with S&T. From there, it was just political fights, and nothing moved,” Gariseb said. Swapo has now reclaimed the Windhoek municipal council with eight seats against the opposition’s seven, ending five years of coalition rule. Gariseb, while critical of the opposition’s performance,…

08 Dec

AfDB’s N$30.3bn commitment: opportunity or oversold promise?

Editorial, Featured, Opinions

The African Development Bank’s approval of N$30.3 billion for Namibia under its 2025–2030 Country Strategy Paper is, without question, one of the most significant financial commitments the nation has seen in recent years. Headlines have naturally celebrated the investment as a major win; “economic transformation”, “human capital development”, “strategic infrastructure”, and other familiar phrases have again taken centre stage. But as with all large-scale development financing, the real question for Namibians is simpler and far more urgent: What, exactly, will this money do, and for whom? The language surrounding the allocation is predictably polished. The AfDB highlights “inclusive growth”, “economic…

08 Dec

New digital tool to fight GBV

National News

Renthia Kaimbi A newly developed national gender-based violence (GBV) digital application will soon allow the public to report abuse, access support services and obtain verified information securely. The minister of gender equality and child welfare, Emma Kantema, recently announced the tool as part of the country’s response to rising physical and digital violence. The app, created in partnership with the European Union (EU) and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), forms part of a broader push to strengthen digital safety. Kantema said the platform is being finalised alongside the Cybercrime Bill, which is under review by the Ministry of Information…

08 Dec

Sisa warns public about scam using Nujoma’s name

National News

Staff Writer The estate of the late founding president, Sam Nujoma, is still being finalised. Nujoma’s executor revealed this on Sunday in response to an online article, calling it false and fraudulent. In a statement issued on 7 December 2025, lawyer Sisa Namandje said he was alerted by the Nujoma family to an online publication titled “The Hidden Legacy of Sam Nujoma”. The article falsely claimed that Nujoma had endorsed an investment scheme called “Nujoma Capital”. The article alleges that Nujoma gave an interview before his death promoting a platform promising users earnings of up to N$15,000 per day and…

08 Dec

MTC’s profit after tax soars to N$1.02 billion

Observer Money

Chamwe Kaira Mobile Telecommunications Company's (MTC) profit after tax for the year ended 30 September 2025 rose to N$1.02 billion, up from N$772.9 million in 2024. MTC said the increase reflects strong execution across mobile, fixed broadband, enterprise, and digital services. Earnings per share grew to 136.37 cents, with headline earnings per share showing the same rise. Total income increased by 14.24% to N$3.71 billion, driven by higher demand for high-speed data and value-added mobile services. Prepaid subscribers grew by 4.3% after successful SIM registration campaigns, and prepaid ARPU increased by 14.6%. Improved postpaid products helped protect core revenue, while…