Observer

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COVID-19 wakeup call: Vice President
13 Oct

COVID-19 wakeup call: Vice President

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Moses Magadza WINDHOEK, NAMIBIA – Namibia’s Vice President Nangolo Mbumba has said that the ongoing COVID-19 is “a wakeup call” and the SADC Region’s Members of Parliament must adapt to the new norm. He made the remarks when he officially opened the virtual 47th Plenary Assembly Session of the SADC Parliamentary Forum on Friday. “It is evident, that COVID-19 pandemic is a wakeup call to all of us - Governments, Parliaments and the citizenry all over the world. In the rude rush to respond to the novel pandemic, in some instances, responses were knee-jerk and suffered from experimentation,” the VP…
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Kudos for Namibia’s COVID-19 response
13 Oct

Kudos for Namibia’s COVID-19 response

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Moses Magadza WINDHOEK, NAMIBIA – Namibia’s response to the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic has drawn praise and admiration, with a top delegate during the 47th Plenary Assembly Session of the SADC Parliamentary Forum (SADC PF), saying it “offers priceless lessons to be shared”. While thanking Namibia’s Vice President Nangolo Mbumba for officially opening the Plenary which was held virtually from last Friday, SADC PF Vice President Senator Isaac Mmemo Magagula, hailed Namibia for innovatively using data and science to respond to the pandemic. “It would be remiss of me not take this opportunity to salute the Government of the Republic…
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Protesters maintain innocence over protest arrests …as charges against 24 are dropped
13 Oct

Protesters maintain innocence over protest arrests …as charges against 24 are dropped

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Clifton Movirongo and Helena Johannes Nearly 25 protestors who were arrested on Saturday during a march against gender-based violence (GBV) and rape in the central business district (CBD) of Windhoek, maintain they did nothing wrong. They claim their arrest was unwarranted. This comes after the protesters, who were arrested by the Namibian Police on Saturday, had all charges against them dropped on Monday after the Prosecutor-General declined to prosecute the case. The 24 had been charged with breaking the health and safety regulations, participating in an illegal demonstration and disturbing peace. However, the protesters’ leaders denied the allegations of breaching…
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Youth condemn police brutality …as Ndeitunga is unrepentant
13 Oct

Youth condemn police brutality …as Ndeitunga is unrepentant

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Andrew Kathindi Namibian youth have condemned the actions of police over the weekend after 24 young people were arrested while protesting against gender-based violence (GBV) and rape. This comes after Inspector General of the Namibian Police; Sebastian Ndeitunga on Monday defended the police action, stating that protestors, including four journalists were arrested for “acting outside the scope of a peaceful protest.” “It’s very unfortunate the response that came from the Police, especially the side of the special reserve force. Being on the ground since day one, being in support of the protest, we have not observed any form of violence…
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10 Oct

Remove the crutch of foreign consultants

ObserverNational News, ,
There is nothing inherently wrong with hiring qualified foreign consultants for a specific task. The problem is that the country surrenders to these consultants rather than inculcate the skills. We do not ensure that our own people learn what is being done by consultants so that we need not import the same skills set repeatedly. Until we commit to using foreign skills only as a tool to strengthen the country, rather than a crutch to weaken it, this will be a controversial issue. This issue is not new; many have been complaining about Namibian dependence on foreign skills for decades.…
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10 Oct

The new normal surely begets ideological policies

ObserverUncategorised
Kae Matundu-Tjiparuro Given the ideological backlog of 30 years plus, during which the ideological content of many of the government’s programmes have been in the backburner, it is time that Namibia’s ideologues and adherents and believers in the Marxist-Leninist ideology, come to the party and subject every government policy, programme and framework to an ideological test and standard. To see to what extent any of them are a true departure from the status quo of capitalism, or intended to usher in a new era of ideology, accompanied by socialist oriented policies and programmes meant to meaningfully address the many legacies…
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10 Oct

Tests to decide employment are biased

ObserverUncategorised
Jackie Wilson Asheeke I remain highly sceptical of psychometric testing to decide the personality of those applying for jobs. How can a panel of white mostly male psychologists and HR practitioners make a test that is in any way fair and applicable to people of another colour, culture or class? These tests are geared for white people’s ideas of what is an ‘acceptable’ professional personality trait are. Why do we continue with allowing these South African companies to pump us for money to engage in job selection practices that are discriminatory? Psychometric testing is a short-cut effort to measure intelligence.…
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10 Oct

Hair today, gone tomorrow

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The Time Traveler: Hugh Ellis The Namibian media last week reported that about sixty pupils who were sent home from Outjo Secondary School for transgressing the school's rules on hair had returned to school. Said one of the boys: ‘We shaved our hair. Some of us did not want to return to the school but we didn't have a choice so we shaved it.’ It was rumoured that one white pupil with long hair had not been sent home like black pupils were. The school principal, however, said, ‘that was not brought to my attention.’ The situation reminded me of…
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10 Oct

Couch Cat – Yellow mongoose have moved in

ObserverUncategorised
Jackie Wilson Asheeke I have colonies of ‘little animals’ all over my garden in Eros. They started popping up about 5-6 years ago. Now, they have burrows under my wall and bolt holes everywhere. These guys were cute a natural at first, but now, they own my entire garden. Honestly, I am not lying. I heard them having a braai and swimming in the water tub I put out for them. Where I live in the USA, we have squirrels, pigeons (rats with wings) and sometimes a chipmunk or two if you live near the woods. But, here in Windhoek,…
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Warriors earns a draw against SA
10 Oct

Warriors earns a draw against SA

ObserverUncategorised
Absalom Iimbondi scored in the second half to earn the Brave Warriors a much deserved one-all draw against South Africa in an international friendly match played at the Royal Bafokeng Sports Complex in Rustenburg on Thursday night. Namibia came into the match as clear underdogs following months of football absence in the country, and it was the more fancied host South Africa that took the lead on 19 minutes trough Luther Singh. It was the lead they took to halftime and after the break the Brave Warriors took 10 minutes to get the equalizer through veteran midfielder Absalom Iimbondi, assisted…
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