Blog – Page 30 – Windhoek Observer

08 Jan

Council seeks funds to complete Omuthiya Open Market

National News

Allexer Namundjembo Financial challenges have slowed the completion of the Omuthiya Open Market, a project meant to provide a safe and regulated trading space for informal traders, the Omuthiya Town Council has said. Responding to questions from the Windhoek Observer on Tuesday, the council’s economic development and tourism officer, Piet Andreki, said construction of the market started before the Covid-19 pandemic and was planned in phases to accommodate different categories of traders. “The market was initiated before Covid-19 and was designed to be constructed in phases to cater for street vendors selling different products,” Andreki said. He explained that during…

08 Jan

Etunda harvests 60 tonnes of mangoes

National News

Justicia Shipena The Etunda Irrigation Project in the Omusati region has harvested about 60 tonnes of mangoes from its 60-hectare mango orchard this week. The harvest was revealed on Wednesday during a visit by the minister of information and communication technology, Emma Theofelus, who toured the scheme to assess its operations and impact. The mangoes are graded and packed into different categories before being sold to local traders. The produce supports many livelihoods, as local people buy in bulk and resell to earn income. Theofelus also acknowledged the surplus mango harvest and said it presents an opportunity for affordable local…

08 Jan

OBSERVER COASTAL | Lifeguards withdraw from Swakopmund beaches

National News

Renthia Kaimbi Certified lifeguards from Monarch Lifeguard and Emergency Services have withdrawn from Platz am Meer and Mole Beach in Swakopmund following the end of their contract with the municipality. Monarch founder Muyenga Martin said the contract ran from 05 December 2025 to 05 January 2026 and has now come to an end. He said the period was short but demanding. Martin said the team focused on preventative lifeguarding, supported by trained professionals on constant watch. He said routine rescues were limited, but several serious incidents showed how dangerous the coastline can be. In one incident, the lifeguards responded to…

08 Jan

OBSERVER COASTAL | Ex-drug dealer gives school children free haircuts

National News

Renthia Kaimbi Fifty young boys in Walvis Bay received free back-to-school haircuts yesterday after a local barber opened his doors to give back to the community. The gesture came from the owner of El Shaddai Barbershop, 27-year-old Lumardo Mouton said the act was part of repairing harm he caused in the past. “I destroyed so many people in my community from smuggling drugs. So this was part of how I am paying back,” he said. Mouton shared that from the age of 12 until two years ago, he was involved in dealing drugs. He said his entry into crime began…

08 Jan

Buying a future? Corruption in school placements betrays our children and our nation

Editorial, Featured

There are moments when a society must pause, look itself in the mirror, and ask difficult questions. The disturbing reports that some parents are offering bribes to teachers to secure placement for their children in preferred schools, and that some educators are accepting these inducements, represent one such moment. This is not a minor administrative lapse or an isolated act of desperation. It is a corrosive practice that strikes at the moral foundation of our education system and, by extension, the future of our country. The Windhoek Observer commends the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture for issuing a public…

08 Jan

Namibia’s strategic imperative: sovereignty in an age of structural power

Featured, Opinions

PAUL T. SHIPALE (with inputs by Folito Nghitongovali Diawara Gaspar) Venezuela, the New Diplomacy of Force, and the Quiet Geometry of Global Control To call this America’s first invasion or its first violation of international law is hypocrisy. The real question is more unsettling: why does a single power remain so persistently driven to control the world, even at the expense of the order it claims to uphold? The answer is rarely found in speeches or official declarations. As history repeatedly shows, the true nature of political power lies not in what is promised aloud, but in what is done…

08 Jan

Khomas sees cheaper beef as Kavango East prices rise

Observer Money

Chamwe Kaira Beef consumer prices showed mixed movements in December 2025, with several key cuts becoming cheaper in Khomas, while Kavango East recorded increases across many products, according to data from the Livestock and Livestock Products Board of Namibia. In Khomas, weekly prices fell for a number of cuts during the week ended 12 December. Loin prices dropped by 11.54% to N$199.99 per kilogram. Fillet declined by 5.36% to N$233.90 per kilogram. Rump eased by 1.43% to N$205.79 per kilogram, while topside fell by 7.41% to N$144.92 per kilogram. Lower-priced cuts also became cheaper. Hump declined by 2.17% to N$97.82…

08 Jan

Standard Bank Namibia cuts everyday banking fees

Observer Money

Staff Writer Standard Bank Namibia has introduced a new pricing strategy that came into effect on 1 January 2026. The changes aim to reduce everyday banking costs and expand access to digital and bundled banking services for individuals and businesses. The bank said the revised pricing includes lower fees on selected daily transactions, more free services, and four bundled account options designed for different income and lifestyle needs. The strategy also places stronger focus on digital banking and support for small and medium-sized enterprises. According to the bank, customers will benefit from reduced fees on digital transactions, lower electronic funds…

08 Jan

Outsurance listing on A2X

Observer Money

Outsurance Group Limited (OGL) is set to list on the A2X via a secondary listing, with qualifying shares expected to be listed on the bourse this month. OGL informed shareholders that the company’s ordinary shares have been approved for inclusion in the list of qualifying equity securities to be traded on A2X, effective 14 January 2026. The insurer’s primary listing on the JSE Limited and its issued share capital will be unaffected by the secondary listing on A2X. “For the past 28 years, OUTsurance has delivered innovative, value-for-money products to its clients, and we are pleased to help extend this…

08 Jan

Namibia oil finds help drive Africa’s upstream revival

Observer Money

Chamwe Kaira Namibia’s offshore oil discoveries are helping to renew momentum in Africa’s upstream energy sector. However, tight investment discipline and operational challenges continue to slow development, according to the African Energy Chamber. Two major offshore discoveries made in Namibia in 2022 by Shell and TotalEnergies marked a turning point for the country’s energy prospects. The finds also boosted exploration interest across the continent, including in Côte d’Ivoire, Angola and Egypt. In its 2026 Outlook Report, The State of African Energy, the African Energy Chamber says global exploration and production capital spending is expected to reach about US$504 billion by…