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Every year on 1 December, Namibia joins the rest of the world in marking World AIDS Day, an annual reminder of the profound human cost of a virus that has shaped our national story for more than three decades. It is a day of memory, gratitude, and resolve, but also one that demands an honest confrontation with the realities we too often soften with comforting language. If anything, Namibia should treat this year’s observance not as a ceremonial pause but as a warning flare. For while our progress is real, our vulnerabilities remain stubborn, layered, and in some cases worsening…

As a Namibian entrepreneur, I have long believed, as many of my peers still do, that a strong and coherent system of business representation is indispensable to any modern economy. Where the state and the private sector collaborate constructively yet remain institutionally independent, national development accelerates, investment confidence grows, and policy becomes a platform for opportunity rather than uncertainty. However, Namibia finds itself at a pivotal juncture today. The mechanisms through which the business community organises, advocates, and engages the state have become fragmented, weakened, and in some respects obsolete. This is not a mere administrative inconvenience; it is, in…

In response to the editorial by the Windhoek Observer on Tuesday, 18 November 2025, which detailed British home secretary Shabana Mahmood’s announcement regarding the potential suspension or restriction of visas for Namibian nationals, I would like to offer the following perspective. Namibia’s diplomacy is firmly rooted in constitutional principles that guide our engagement with the international community. Our foreign policy is predicated on the foundation of just and mutually beneficial relations, never at the expense of our citizens. As a responsible member of the United Nations and the Commonwealth, Namibia remains committed to upholding the fundamental rights and responsibilities enshrined…

In the aftermath of the recent regional and local authority elections, Namibia is once again sorting through a familiar mixture of certainty and surprise. The results of these elections as announced by the Electoral Commission of Namibia point to a notable trend: Swapo has reclaimed several constituencies it lost in previous cycles. The outcome is significant. Over the past decade, Namibia’s political terrain has been marked by fragmentation, emerging parties, independent candidates reshaping the margins, and a steady erosion of the once unquestioned dominance of the ruling party. The 2024 general elections reflected this mood. Swapo held on to power,…

Voter apathy is not a headline that demands immediate attention; however, it is one of the most telling signs of the health of a democracy. It moves quietly, shaping election outcomes without noise or spectacle. In Namibia, youth voter apathy has become a defining feature of recent elections, and this week’s polls may have deepened the pattern. While the country debates which constituencies swung back to the ruling party and which parties gained or lost ground, the biggest shift may be the one that did not appear at the ballot box at all. Young people are increasingly choosing to stay…