Observer

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Venaani demands answers from Noa

Venaani demands answers from Noa

Staff Writer Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) leader McHenry Venaani has written to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) demanding to know why no action has been taken against high profile individuals who are alleged to have also played a key role in the Fishrot saga. This comes as the Windhoek Observer in April revealed that no extradition request had been sent for lawyer, Marén de Klerk, who is currently moving around freely in South Africa. De Klerk is alleged to have played a key role in the syphoning of funds to the tune of N$50 million from the National Fishing Corporation of…
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Geingob takes the low road

On Sunday, we were expecting a firm, unequivocal refutation of accusations of any and all links to Swapo from the Fishrot scandal. We didn’t get it. Geingob took the low road. He presented defensive bluster and selective phrasing in his qualified denial that Swapo fingers are in the fish pie. The president of Swapo held his media conference on Sunday where he says people “will not see any money [in Swapo accounts] coming from Fishrot.” The notoriously media-hostile and inarticulate Swapo Party Secretary-General, Sophia Shaningwa, spoke up. She invited “anyone” to contact the Swapo office to access party financial records.…
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2016 decision haunts transparency calls

2016 decision haunts transparency calls

...as Swapo cites lack of regulations Andrew Kathindi It appears that a decision taken by political parties in 2016 not to reveal the source of their donations has come back to haunt them, four years later. This comes amid increased calls for the Swapo party to be transparent with its source of funds. The ruling party has been implicated in the Fishrot saga. In 2016, following the amendment of the Electoral Act of 2014, political parties unanimously decided to leave out the disclosing of the source of their donations exceeding a prescribed amount as per the Act, after a workshop…
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DBN suspends three more over loans scandal

DBN suspends three more over loans scandal

Staff Writer The Development Bank of Namibia (DBN) has announced that three more employees have been suspended, bringing the total to seven employees that have been fingered for their involvement in a loans scandal that has rocked the bank. This comes as the DBN Spokesperson Di-Anna Grobler revealed that the bank was close to concluding its investigations. “If there are alleged irregularities, the Bank will follow through with investigation on the matter and take appropriate steps to ensure that the integrity of the Bank is preserved,” she said. The development at the bank comes after media reports revealed senior officials…
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PDM to appeal High Court ruling

PDM to appeal High Court ruling

…as Venaani digs into judiciary Staff writer Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) has announced that it will appeal a Monday High Court ruling against the party and the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN’s) over their decision to remove candidates from the list of members to be sworn in the National Assembly. Charmaine Tjirare and Hidipo Hamata had challenged the ECN’s decision to accept a revised list of members to be sworn in the National Assembly after the November 2019 elections after the PDM submitted a new list, removing six candidates and replacing them with six who were not on the list…
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Couch Kitten: Mediocre isn’t always bad

Thandizo Kawerama I’ve recently gotten back into learning how to do makeup. Having not done a full face since 2015 means my skills are a little rusty, and all the looks I manage to muster up are off trend and honestly a little bit ashy. No matter the amount of YouTube tutorials, TikTok hacks and Twitter threads I go through, I’ve realised that my skills are just mediocre. I however still enjoy playing around with makeup palettes despite my mediocracy, and I think there should be a space for underachieving at activities if their sole purpose is to bring you…
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Roll the dice with Black Dice

Roll the dice with Black Dice

Jackie Wilson Asheeke Black Dice is no longer a trio but one musical voice. Just before the state of emergency and pandemic lockdown in March 2020, he dropped his first album in eight years, called Uushimba in February, 2020. The unfortunate release timing eclipsed this foot tapping musical presentation. Check out his CD and support this talented artist. Buy the music, don’t copy it from someone. While some already have the CD and it is not a new release, it deserves a fresh review because it perhaps did not get the coverage it should have at the outset. I hope…
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The Noose

The Time Traveler: Hugh Ellis The punishment of hanging for murder was abolished in the United Kingdom way back in 1969, well before I was born, but technically it could be imposed for treason right up until the death penalty’s full abolition in 1998. Reportedly, a gallows was kept operational at a prison in South London and tested with weights every six months until the final abolition of capital punishment. In the time from 1969 to 1998, it was never used in anger. But it gives me the creeps now to think our family home at the time was just…
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How to be an OG in four easy lessons

Jackie Wilson Asheeke One of the Fishrot gang calls himself, “Fitty” as a nickname. I have no idea of the etymology of his chosen tag. But, if it is a culturally-appropriated homage to black American rap superstar, producer and actor, Fifty Cent, then all I can do is shake my head. The real “50” (we say ‘Fitty’) and those from my old ‘hood would be disgusted at the kindergarten level mistakes made by the jailed fishy gang. If the aspirations of the crew now behind bars was to be a respected OG (original gangster), they have failed to make the…
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Materialist conception of history is the real context of the National Resistance

Kae-Matundu-Tjiparuro The National Resistance, which eventually on March 21, 1990, heralded Namibian flag independence was not and could not have been an end in itself. But was an imperative first step towards the end, this end being the Second Phase of the African (Namibian) Revolution. Therefore, the question bugging and begging is whether Namibia, with the attainment of her independence on Indeed did and has actually embarked on the Second Phase of the National Revolution? As such there is a burning need to reflect on what the primary driving powers and/or motives were for National Resistance. Was National Resistance intrinsic…
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