Featured – Windhoek Observer

21 Nov

OBSERVER DAILY | Dear Honourable Bernadus Swartbooi

Editorial, Featured, Opinions

Namibia has entered the familiar, feverish stretch of the political calendar known as the “silly season”, when passions run high, rhetoric grows sharp, and politicians of all stripes test the limits of what they can say to energise their supporters. Elections are, by their very nature, noisy affairs. Positions clash, words fly, and agendas jostle for prominence. In that sense, your recent remarks about wishing for an “actual shooting war” to start in Namibia, and your call for foreign intervention from U.S. president Donald Trump, may be chalked up by some as campaign theatrics. But even in the silly season,…

21 Nov

The velvet grip of power: Why Namibians must stay vigilant as election day approaches

Featured, Opinions

PAUL T. SHIPALE (with inputs by Folito Nghitongovali Diawara Gaspar) As Namibians prepare for the Regional and Local Authority Elections on 26 November 2025, a recent political confrontation in Europe has unexpectedly offered a mirror to our own democratic landscape. It came from a Dutch member of the European Parliament, who boldly challenged European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, reminding the world that even in the heart of Western democracy, power can slip quietly beyond the reach of the people. Her argument was unsettling yet essential: are we really being governed democratically, or merely invited to participate in a…

21 Nov

YOUNG OBSERVER | A purple signal in a moment of global decision making

Featured, Opinions

As G20 leaders gather to negotiate the future of global growth, security and cooperation, the world outside the summit walls is speaking a language they can no longer ignore, and that language has taken on a colour: purple. The Purple Hearts Movement is a political symbol that has spread across digital platforms and even public spaces in the form of protests, drawing attention to one of the most persistent governance failures of our time: gender-based violence against women. The symbolism is deceptively simple: purple hearts shared online, purple profile images, and purple clothing worn at vigils and protests. Yet beneath…

21 Nov

Youth Spotlight: Emma Muteka, councillor of Windhoek West Constituency

Featured, National News

Q: You wear multiple hats… How do you balance these roles while staying grounded in the needs of your community? A: I believe there is no such thing as perfect balance in our world. What truly keeps me grounded is the discipline to prioritise, the willingness to stay flexible, and the commitment to plan with intention. These are the realities that have helped me carry out each role with purpose while keeping my community at the centre of everything I do. Q: What inspired your entry into public service, and what does leadership mean to you beyond the political title?…

21 Nov

YOUNG OBSERVER | #UNMUTED

Featured, Opinions

There are moments in a nation’s public life that reveal far more about us than we intend. The reaction to Miss Namibia 2025, Johanna Swaartbooi, is one of them. What should have been support and celebration towards a young woman stepping into a national role that carries pride quickly exposed how easily our national conversations can be poisoned by old prejudices. Tribal slurs began to circulate. Derogatory remarks about her beauty and her worth followed. And Namibia, for a moment, felt smaller than it is. Tribalism is not new in this country. It is a shadow that lingers, often dismissed…

20 Nov

Africa warns high debt threatens its climate action

Africa / World, Featured

Justicia Shipena Africa’s climate negotiators say that high debt, costly finances and new trade barriers are making it harder for the continent to meet its climate commitments. The message was delivered by Richard Muyungi, chair of the African Group of Negotiators (AGN), during a meeting on Wednesday with United Nations (UN) secretary general António Guterres at the 30th Conference of Parties (COP30) climate conference in Belém, Brazil. Many African countries, according to Muyungi, are grappling with high borrowing costs, limited access to long-term finance, and increasing debt vulnerabilities. He also warned that new unilateral climate-related trade measures threaten African industries…

20 Nov

SADC stakeholders demand coordinated effort to end child marriage

Africa / World, Featured

Moses Magadza A panel discussion following the inaugural public lecture honouring the late chief Theresa Kachindamoto of Malawi stirred reflection, debate and renewed urgency for coordinated regional action to eradicate child marriage. The Southern African Development Community Parliamentary Forum (SADC PF), with funding from Sweden and in collaboration with the National Assembly of Zambia, the University of Zambia’s School of Law, CARE International, and other partners, convened the public lecture on Monday last week. Moderated by gender advocate Lynn Chinene of CARE Zambia, the panel discussion brought together traditional leaders, legal experts, lawmakers, youth representatives and students as efforts intensified…

20 Nov

OBSERVER DAILY | Why the departure of the governor of the Bank of Namibia is a serious concern

Editorial, Featured, Opinions

The early departure of Johannes !Gawaxab from his position as Governor of the Bank of Namibia (BoN) has sent shockwaves throughout the financial services sector, shockwaves that cannot and should not be ignored. In a country where the stability of the financial system relies heavily on regulatory credibility and consistent leadership, the sudden resignation of the central bank governor, especially with less than a year left in his contract, raises far more questions than answers. To be clear, the governor of the central bank is not just another executive. He is the custodian of monetary policy, the watchdog of financial…

20 Nov

THE TIDE LINE | Your vote, your region, your future

Featured, Opinions

In just a few days, on November 26, 2025, the people of the Erongo Region, indeed the entire nation, will head to the polls for the Regional Council and Local Authority Elections. The date has rightly been declared a public holiday by the President, ensuring that every eligible citizen has the time and opportunity to vote. This is not just another election; it is a defining moment for our communities, our local development, and our shared future. As Observer Coastal, we urge every resident of Erongo and every voter in Swakopmund, Walvis Bay, Arandis, Henties Bay, Omaruru, Karibib, and surrounding…

19 Nov

OBSERVER DAILY | GIPF: It’s déjà vu all over again

Editorial, Featured, Opinions

Once again, Namibia finds itself staring into a familiar abyss, an abyss carved by misjudged investments, blurred oversight, and a dangerous institutional culture of “explanations without consequences”. The revelation that the Government Institutions Pension Fund (GIPF) has impaired a staggering N$815 million through its exposure to the South African-based Signal Structured Finance Fund (SSFF) is not just another line item in an audit report. It is a reminder of past failures, a warning of present vulnerabilities, and a test of our collective commitment to accountability. For many Namibians, particularly pensioners whose livelihoods depend on the prudent stewardship of their savings,…