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Price controls or market reality? The FlyNamibia dilemma

The latest standoff between government and the private aviation sector has placed Namibia at a familiar crossroads: the tension between market forces and public interest. This week, Works and Transport Minister Veikko Nekundi issued a firm ultimatum to FlyNamibia: reduce ticket prices on the Windhoek–Ondangwa route within six months or face the possibility of government intervention. It is a bold statement, one that signals growing frustration within government over the cost of domestic air travel. Yet, FlyNamibia’s response, that 67% of its operating costs are driven by external, uncontrollable factors such as fuel prices and aviation levies, complicates what might…
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Global nuclear expansion drives uranium demand 

Global nuclear expansion drives uranium demand 

Chamwe Kaira  Global demand for uranium is rising as countries expand nuclear power to meet growing energy needs, according to data presented by Paladin Energy, which owns the Langer Heinrich Mine in the Erongo region. The data shows that demand is supported by existing nuclear reactors, new plants under construction and the extension of older facilities, especially in major economies such as the United States. Momentum is expected to grow following commitments made at COP28 and COP29, where 38 countries, including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and France, pledged to triple nuclear capacity by 2050. Policy measures in…
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Deep Yellow completes drilling at Tinkas Prospect 

Deep Yellow completes drilling at Tinkas Prospect 

Chamwe Kaira  Deep Yellow Limited completed a reverse circulation drilling program at its Tinkas Prospect in Namibia during the March 2026 quarter, confirming the presence of uranium mineralisation. The Tinkas Prospect lies about 8 km north-west of the company’s Tumas Project and forms part of its exploration efforts to expand uranium resources in the area. Drilling started on 18 February and ended on 18 March.  The programme included 133 drill holes covering 1,363 metres. Drilling was carried out on 100-metre line spacing with 100-metre intervals between holes. The company said results confirmed uranium mineralisation in calcretised palaeochannel sediments and in…
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Aviation identified as key driver of Africa’s growth 

Aviation identified as key driver of Africa’s growth 

Staff Writer  The chief executive officer of the Namibia Airports Company (NAC), Bisey /Uirab says aviation remains a key driver of economic growth, regional integration and global connectivity across Africa. He made the remarks at Aviation Week Africa 2026 in Windhoek, held under the theme “Linking Africa: Partners for Growth". /Uirab said aviation supports trade, tourism and job creation and helps connect African economies to global markets. He said Africa’s size, dispersed populations and natural barriers make air transport important for moving people, goods and services. Airports, he said, form the backbone of the aviation system. They connect countries within…
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BoN makes changes to its senior leadership

BoN makes changes to its senior leadership

Staff Writer  The Bank of Namibia (BoN) has announced changes to its senior leadership, including promotions and new role assignments. The changes follow the recent appointment of Nicholas Mukasa as deputy governor and the move of Florette Nakusera to the Macro-Economic and Financial Management Institute of Eastern and Southern Africa. BoN said it is taking a structured approach to leadership changes to strengthen its operations. “This approach aims to preserve institutional knowledge while developing well-rounded central bankers with cross-functional expertise. In doing so, the bank mitigates concentration risk, strengthens succession planning, and enhances institutional versatility,” BoN said. Moudi Hangula has…
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FlyNamibia says 67% of costs are beyond its control

FlyNamibia says 67% of costs are beyond its control

Chamwe Kaira  FlyNamibia says about 67% of its operating costs are price-driven and remain outside its control. The airline said it is effectively a price taker on key inputs such as fuel and other charges. The response follows public concern over ticket prices for flights to Ondangwa.  On Wednesday, works and transport minister Veikko Nekundi said he has given the airline six months to reduce fares. He said a flight to Ondangwa costs more than N$9 000, while a flight to Cape Town is about half that price. Nekundi warned that the government may step in and regulate ticket prices…
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Clicks pays out N$527m to loyalty members

Clicks pays out N$527m to loyalty members

Chamwe Kaira  Clicks Group says its ClubCard members, including those in Namibia, earned N$527 million in cashback over the six months to 28 February 2026. The group reported this in its unaudited interim results. Active ClubCard membership grew by 800 000 to 12.9 million. Members contributed 83.7% of total sales. During the period, the group opened its 1000th store, bringing the total to 1003 outlets. Its pharmacy network increased to 795 stores. Group turnover rose by 7.4% to N$24.9 billion. Retail turnover, which includes Clicks, UniCare, The Body Shop and Sorbet stores, increased by 5.4%. Comparable store turnover grew by…
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Cashbuild reports modest growth in quarterly results

Cashbuild reports modest growth in quarterly results

Chamwe Kaira  Namibia and other Common Monetary Area (CMA) countries' segments contributed 6% of total sales of building materials retailer Cashbuild for the third quarter of its 2026 financial year. The segment grew by 4% and maintained similar growth levels year to date. Growth came from existing stores, with no contribution from new outlets. Cashbuild said it recorded modest growth in its latest operating segment results. Total sales grew by 3%. New stores contributed 2%, while existing stores added 1%. Year-to-date growth stood at 5%, supported by 3% from new stores and 2% from existing outlets. South Africa remained the…
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Forget a classless society, forward with capitalism regarding public health care!

Forget a classless society, forward with capitalism regarding public health care!

Kae Matundu - Tjiparuro THROUGH a recent report in a local English daily, headlined "Govt hospital’s ‘elite wing’ raises eyebrows", Namibia was and has been awakened to the harsh fact that the ideal of a classless society upon the attainment of independence, which has been seeming remote, shall never be. Not to mention if it ever was genuinely meant. That a classless society in an independent Namibia shall never be may not come from the Swapo of Namibia itself. Indeed, it has long been coming since independence: all talks about a classless society upon independence, or after, and it has…
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Swapo@66: Governing without ideology or a drift and the limits of liberation politics?

Swapo@66: Governing without ideology or a drift and the limits of liberation politics?

Paul T. Shipale (with inputs by Folito Nghitongovali Diawara Gaspar) A crisis not of power, but of thought. After the thought-provoking editorial penned down by the Windhoek Observer on the occasion of the 66th anniversary of Swapo, one could not help but admire the accuracy of the analysis, especially when it refers to a drift and a loss of intellectual compass, ideological clarity, and, perhaps most dangerously, its sense of purpose, said the editorial. Indeed, for a party that once embodied ideological clarity, rooted in anti-colonial struggle, social justice, and a defined vision of economic transformation, it now appears ideologically…
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