Editorial

15 Mar

Charting a future for a youthful, growing population

ObserverEditorial
Namibia's recent census has provided an unadulterated illumination of the challenges and opportunities facing the nation as it navigates its future. With a population now exceeding three million, the growth trajectory since independence is undeniable. It is also a significant milestone in the country's demographic landscape. This latest count, delayed by the pandemic and resource constraints, marks the nation's first digital and spatially-enabled census effort, showcasing a leap in technological adoption for national planning. The surge in urban population, outpacing rural growth, accentuates a global trend towards urbanization, but it also brings to light the pressing issues of urban planning,…
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08 Mar

Commitment strengthens the pillars of democracy in Namibia

ObserverEditorial
Niël Terblanché As Namibia embarks on yet another significant chapter in its democratic journey, the 2024 electoral processes, including the General Registration of Voters (GRV) and the Presidential and National Assembly elections, the nation's commitment to democratic principles must be the ultimate focus. The Electoral Commission of Namibia's (ECN) launch of the Electoral Calendar, Democracy Building, Awareness Campaign, and Service Charter in Windhoek marks a crucial moment, underlining an integrated effort to modernize and refine electoral systems. Yet, this moment also invites the nation to reflect critically on the health of democracy in Namibia, assessing both its strengths and the…
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01 Mar

Namibia’s National Budget: Marching relentlessly in the direction of economic recovery and social equity

ObserverEditorial
Namibia finds itself at a crossroads in its journey towards economic stability and social justice.The National Budget for the fiscal year 2024/25 tabled by the Minister of Finance and Public Enterprises, Ipumbu Shiimi earlier this week, serves as proof of the government's commitment to leveraging the country's improved economic outlook for the collective good.The budget arrived at a critical juncture, with Namibia grappling with the dual challenges of a recovering domestic economy and the persistent spectre of food insecurity affecting nearly 40 percent of the population.Shiimi's financial blueprint for the nation is both ambitious and pragmatic, focusing on stimulating domestic…
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16 Feb

Reimagining education in Namibia for a brighter future

ObserverEditorial
The current state of education in Namibia, characterized by overcrowded classrooms, inadequate foundational learning, and a curriculum struggling to meet the needs of its students, demands a radical reimagination. The recent revelations by Sanet Steenkamp, the Executive Director in the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture, and a troubling report by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Science, ICT, and Youth Development paint a picture of an education system in dire need of reform and substantial investment. But how can Namibia navigate these turbulent waters to secure a prosperous future for its next generation? The crux of Namibia's educational dilemma…
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09 Feb

Light at the end of the tunnel

ObserverEditorial
The sudden passing of President Hage Geingob shortly after midnight on Sunday, has the Namibian Nation still reeling with shock while at the same time having to cope with a sense of sadness never felt before in the country’s short history as a fiercely independent and sovereign state. As the reality of the situation where people went to bed on Saturday evening in a Namibia they knew and loved and waking up a few hours later to a country where opportunism might derail what they have built over the past 35 years is yet to set in. However the landscape…
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02 Feb

Streamlining of policies is essential to ease doing business in Namibia

ObserverEditorial
With Namibia facing significant challenges but also possessing the potential for substantial economic growth and development, the country finds itself at a crossroads. Government initiatives to improve the business environment and legislative reforms aimed at easing the process of doing business indicate a commitment to fostering a more conducive climate for investment. However, addressing structural issues such as unemployment, bureaucratic inefficiencies, and economic inequality remains critical to unlocking the full potential of Namibia’s economy. Doing business in Namibia presents both challenges and opportunities, reflecting the nation’s commitment to improving its business environment while grappling with structural issues. Investors and businesses…
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27 Jan

Is a fist full of dollars, worth it over the long run?

ObserverEditorial
Legislation and the direction of sound policies will play a crucial role in the expected transformation of the revolutionary transformation of the Namibian Economy. In anticipation of gains from green hydrogen projects and newly discovered oil off the coast, the Namibian Government must create effective policies and laws that will direct new industrial development in such a way as to secure the economic future. It was recently reported that China’s trade with Namibia amounted to N$18 billion over the past year and that it will increase. Multinational oil giants have been boasting about new and promising oil discoveries in the…
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19 Jan

The year of expectation should be a year of new beginnings

ObserverEditorial,
As dawn broke on the year 2024 hopes for a new beginning for the Namibian House in the year of expectations grew exponentially because it is also the year of elections. The imagery of dawn breaking signifies the end of darkness and the arrival of light, which is commonly associated with new beginnings and opportunities. At the break of dawn on Monday, roughly 150,000 members of the second generation of so-called ‘bornfrees’, while holding the hands of the hopeful parents, arrived at schools across Namibia with bright and wide eyes. Every parent who spent hours in the sun waiting in…
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05 May

International Workers’ Day is a cliché

ObserverEditorial,
May 1st is a holiday on automatic. With the theme of: 'Workers United in Ensuring Productivity for National Economic Growth and Guarding Against Unfair Labour Practices in the World of Work,' it is no wonder that International Workers' Day is not taken seriously. Whoever heard of a 19-word title that is so convoluted and cobbled together that it is meaningless? The holiday for workers is no longer an empowering call to arms for workers to unite around co-ownership of the means of production, profit sharing, better and safer working conditions, and labour union representation in all workshops and factories. Instead,…
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14 Apr

Her Ladyship for a change

ObserverEditorial
Opposition leaders desperately in search of an issue are making noise about the recent appointment of Zimbabwean Justice Rita Makarau as Acting Judge of the Supreme Court in Namibia. We take issue with those unjustified rumblings. Ostensibly, statements about The Honourable Justice Makarau’s past connections to late President Robert Mugabe seem to headline opposition blustering both here and in Zimbabwe’s newspapers. Namibian opposition parties add whipped cream and a cherry on top of their hollow arguments against Makarau by appealing to xenophobia to whip up the usual uninformed nationalistic prejudices against any foreigner earning money in Namibia. Let us drop…
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