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Jericho says sobriety gave him his life and music back

Jericho says sobriety gave him his life and music back

Renthia Kaimbi The price of addiction, award-winning Namibian hip-hop artist Jericho Gawanab says, goes beyond money.  He says it is seen in possessions sold, dignity lost and long hours spent chasing the next fix. In an open account shared with the Windhoek Observer, Jericho spoke about his struggle with drugs and alcohol and how it nearly destroyed his career.  He said his addiction turned hard-earned success into near ruin. Jericho recalled selling his first professional music studio, bought for N$45 000 using his Namibian Music Awards (Namas) winnings, for just N$7 000 to buy drugs. The money, he said, was…
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Swapo demands release of Venezuela’s president

Swapo demands release of Venezuela’s president

Renthia Kaimbi Swapo has described the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro as an unlawful abduction and a violation of international law.  Swapo condemned the United States for what it called unjustifiable aggression against a sovereign state. Swapo secretary general Sophia Shaningwa delivered the party’s position yesterday, saying the detention of a sitting head of state breaches international norms and the principles of the United Nations Charter. “As a political organisation born out of the crucibles of anti-colonialism and apartheid, we reaffirm our commitment to the principles of sovereignty, self-determination, and mutual respect among nations,” the statement said. Shaningwa said…
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Why the article “When inefficiency becomes a culture: Namibia’s public sector” became the opinion piece of the year

Why the article “When inefficiency becomes a culture: Namibia’s public sector” became the opinion piece of the year

PAUL T. SHIPALE (with inputs by Folito Nghitongovali Diawara Gaspar) By year’s end, SPOTLIGHTING NAMIBIA named “When Inefficiency Becomes a Culture: Namibia’s Public Sector” its Opinion Piece of the Year. The recognition was not an act of praise but of relevance. The criteria were exacting: • Did the article give language to what many citizens felt but struggled to articulate? • Did it move beyond complaint to diagnose a systemic condition? • Did it hold institutions accountable without personal attack? • Did it provoke reflection and reform rather than cynicism or despair? The article met each test because it named…
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NSX trading quiet in first week of 2026

NSX trading quiet in first week of 2026

Chamwe Kaira Trading on the Namibia Securities Exchange (NSX) was subdued in the first week of 2026, reflecting a shortened trading period and lower investor activity during the year-end holiday. The NSX Local Index closed the week little changed, with limited movement across most locally listed shares.  Turnover on the local board remained low, with trading concentrated in a few counters, while several shares recorded no trades. Overall market activity was driven mainly by dual-listed stocks, tracking movements on offshore markets.  Anglo American and other large dual-listed resource shares were among the most actively traded, with prices largely mirroring performance…
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Treasury bill earnings drop in Q3 2025

Treasury bill earnings drop in Q3 2025

Chamwe Kaira Yields on all Treasury Bills (TBs) declined in the third quarter of 2025, reflecting adequate liquidity and lower benchmark rates, according to the Bank of Namibia. Local TB yields fell quarter on quarter during the period due to strong liquidity, oversubscription at auctions, a softer monetary policy stance, and lower South African benchmark rates. Yields on the 91-day and 182-day TBs dropped by 26 basis points and 20 basis points to 7.40% and 7.57%, respectively. By the end of September 2025, yields on longer-dated TBs also declined. The 273-day TB fell by 30 basis points to 7.50%, while…
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Oceana appoints new lead independent director

Oceana appoints new lead independent director

Staff Writer Oceana Group Limited has appointed Aboubakar “Bakar” Jakoet as its new lead independent director and chairperson of the corporate governance and nominations committee, effective 1 January 2026. The company said the appointment complies with paragraph 3.59 of the JSE Listings Requirements. Jakoet has served as an independent non-executive director of Oceana since 2019. He is a chartered accountant and currently chairs the risk committee while also serving on the audit committee. The board welcomed the appointment and said it looks forward to his continued contribution in the new roles. Oceana also announced that Peter de Beyer will step…
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SilverStreet completes Aussenkehr grape harvest

SilverStreet completes Aussenkehr grape harvest

Chamwe Kaira SilverStreet Capital has completed its grape harvest at Aussenkehr in southern Namibia, employing a record 4 024 workers during the season. SilverStreet Capital chief investment officer Gary Vaughan-Smith said in a social media post that about one-third of the company’s export containers have already reached European Union markets and the United Kingdom.  He said SilverStreet supplies all major supermarket chains in those regions. Vaughan-Smith said logistics posed the main challenge during the season.  Strong winds in Cape Town delayed early vessel departures in November. To manage the disruption, the company adjusted its export routes and shipped through Walvis…
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AFC acts as co-financial adviser for Lobito Atlantic Railway concession

AFC acts as co-financial adviser for Lobito Atlantic Railway concession

Staff Writer Africa Finance Corporation has announced the signing of key financing agreements for the Lobito Atlantic Railway Project in Angola, where it acted as co-financial adviser alongside Eaglestone to Lobito Atlantic Railway S.A., the borrower and concessionaire of the 1 300-kilometre brownfield rail corridor. The project is backed by sponsors including Mota-Engil, commodities trader Trafigura, and rail operator Vecturis. The partners bring technical, operational and commercial expertise to support the long-term operation of the corridor. The signing covers a US$753 million financing package made up of US$553 million from the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation and US$200 million from…
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When land disputes turn deadly: a test of law, leadership and restraint 

The fatal shooting of traditional headman Sam Nepando and the serious injury of I-Ben Nashandi, who is reportedly recovering in hospital, have sent a deep and unsettling shock through Namibia. It is not only the loss of life and the violence itself that has disturbed the nation, but the nature of the dispute from which this tragedy reportedly arose. Incidents of this kind are almost unheard of in our recent history, particularly within the context of traditional leadership and land administration. For many Namibians, this moment has forced a painful reckoning with questions we have long debated in theory but…
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Tunacor replaces MD with former CEO …Hitula denies being fired or demoted over fishrot claims 

Tunacor replaces MD with former CEO …Hitula denies being fired or demoted over fishrot claims 

Renthia Kaimbi Tunacor Fisheries Limited, a Walvis Bay-based fishing company, has replaced its managing director with the company’s former chief executive officer, Gerrie Hough.  Outgoing MD Peya Hitula confirmed to the Windhoek Observer that Hough had taken his place.  However, Hitula refuted allegations of his firing or demotion.  He said he has moved into a more senior governance role within the company. This comes as talks that started circulating in mid-December suggested that Hitula was dismissed over alleged links to the fishrot scandal or had stepped down under pressure. “It is true that I am no longer the managing director…
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