Blog – Page 866 – Windhoek Observer

18 Apr

Uapingene calls for gender balance in Junior Councils

National News

Martin Endjala The Mayor of the City of Windhoek, Joseph Uapingene has called for gender balance, citing its importance to recognize gender equality by 2030, in line with the United Nation’s Planet 50-50 goals. The Mayor made these remarks during the 24th official inauguration ceremony of the Junior Council for 2023 /2024 held last week in Windhoek. Since its inception in 1999, the Junior Council has been represented by 37 schools, including both private and government schools, in the Khomas Region. The Junior Council programme also includes two special schools for learners with visual and hearing impairments to equip the…

18 Apr

805 DRC residents receive land ownership certificates

National News

Niël Terblanché A great sense of happiness and optimism descended on a group of 805 residents of the DRC informal settlement of Swakopmund after they signed contracts on Sunday, legalizing their ownership of land and subsequently permitting them to build permanent homes. Some of the recipients of the flexible land Tenure certificates stated that their lives will improve significantly as a result. The provision of adequate housing not only allows Namibians to live with their dignity intact but also enables people to access other aspects of well-being in general. The flexible land tenure system, developed by the Namibian Government in…

18 Apr

Namibia slowly becoming self-sustainable with energy

National News

Niël Terblanché In an effort to decrease Namibia’s reliance on electricity supply from neighboring countries, the country’s national electricity supplier, NamPower, yesterday signed exclusive Power Purchase and Transmission agreements with CERIM Lüderitz Energy to supply electricity to the national grid. As a result of the agreement signed in Windhoek, CERIM will construct a 50 Mega Watt wind power plant at a cost of N$1.4 billion. The power plant is expected to be put into commission in mid-2025. Although 50MW of wind-generated electricity is not nearly enough to supply Namibia in its entirety, an increase in the generation of low-cost power…

18 Apr

A storm erupts around Lionel Matthews

MainA storm erupts around Lionel Matthews

Niël Terblanché The appointment of Lionel Matthews as the interim Managing Director of the National Petroleum Corporation of Namibia took a dramatic turn after the board of directors last week announced that Shiwana Ndeunyema will act in that capacity until negotiations with the candidate are completed. In the meantime, Matthews has been linked to alleged nefarious dealings with regard to a Namcor tender to construct oil storage facilities in Walvis Bay worth N$1 billion, amongst others. However, Fullbright Investments, an infrastructure development firm came out strongly against the allegations. Fullbright appointed Monasa Advisory and Associates as its transaction advisor when…

17 Apr

Soaring with Jessica… An exclusive interview with Jessica Mundie Uiras.

FeaturedSoaring with Jessica... An exclusive interview with Jessica Mundie Uiras.

Jessica Mundie Uiras (25) was born and raised in Windhoek, Namibia. She is the oldest of 4 girls and became an orphan at 10, and a mother to her 3 sister’s at 20. Jessica was raised by her grandmother Rosina Rosa Uiras (71) in Freedomland, Katutura and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Communications, an Honors degree in Public Relations and Image management as well as a Business M.A in Strategic Marketing.She is currently employed as a Programme Coordinator at the Namibia Media Trust (NMT) a non- profit organisation that promotes a free and self-sustainable media climate in Africa where independent…

17 Apr

Paragon Media to launch Women of Power conference

FeaturedParagon Media to launch Women of Power conference

Paragon Media through through its Observer Weekend publication will be launching the Women of Power series on 28 April 2023. The launch is a precursor for the Women of Power Conference and Awards Ceremony slated for 2024. The Observer Weekend has been featuring a “Women of Power” segment every Sunday in the Observer Weekend E-paper since February this year. According to the Executive Director of Paragon Media, Lazarus Jacobs, the purpose of the Conference is to celebrate women who are making a difference in their communities and nationally. “These women are, Disrupters, Unrecognized change makers.” He further stated that the…

17 Apr

Seeking the light with Femi

Featured

Namibian based author, Femi Kayode trained as a clinical psychologist in Nigeria, before starting a career in advertising. He has created and written several prime-time TV shows. His debut novel, Lightseekers, was selected as a Best Crime Novel of the Month by The Times, Sunday Times, Independent, Guardian, Observer, Financial Times and Irish Times and was longlisted for the CWA Gold Dagger Award. Femi sat down with Observer Weekend on the eve of the launch of his second novel, Gas Light. Your journey is quite an interesting one: from psychologist, to creative director and now author. Can you share this…

17 Apr

Progress with Universal Health Care under scrutiny

National NewsProgress with Universal Health Care under scrutiny

Nël Terblanché The Executive Director in the Ministry of Health and Social Services, Ben Nangombe says every Namibian should have access to quality and affordable healthcare services without it causing severe financial hardship for the individual or their family. Nangombe said this during the official opening of a consultative meeting between the Ministry’s officials and the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Universal Health Care (UHC) in Swakopmund. According to him, such services should also include access to essential medicines, therapeutics, vaccines and technologies that are effective, safe and of good quality. Nangombe said the country has made great strides in its…

17 Apr

The Story of Hermien

Featured

Hermien is a passionate, inspiring, witty, authentic and engaging speaker, host and MC who is currently studying Psychology through the South African College of Applied Psychology in her pursuit to specialise in Narrative Therapy - Healing through Story. She made time to tell us about Her Story. You’ve had quite an interesting childhood. Do you mind sharing that with us?I was born in Katutura Hospital on the 17th of February 1983, I turned 40 this year.My parents are both generational cycle breakers who wanted me and my siblings to have a better education than they did, they sent me to…

17 Apr

Comalie still facing drug charges as she continues to serve as Namcor board Chair

National NewsComalie still facing drug charges as she continues to serve as Namcor board Chair

While Jennifer Comalie, the Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the National Energy Corporation of Namibia, has largely been found to be innocent by public opinion, she still faces the judicial consequences of being found in possession of illicit drugs. The Minister of Finance and Public Enterprises, Iipumbu Shiimi, while attending the spring meeting of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group in Washington, took time out to address questions by the Windhoek Observer regarding Comalie’s status as the Namcor board Chairperson. “Ms Comalie is indeed still serving as the Namcor board Chairperson,” Shiimi said. Comalie’s position…