Featured – Page 16 – Windhoek Observer

15 Sep

OBSERVER DAILY | A silent emergency: burn-out among Namibia’s medical interns demands urgent action

Editorial, Featured, Opinions

Namibia’s hospitals are quietly facing a crisis that could shape the future of our entire health system. The nation’s medical interns, young doctors in the most formative and vulnerable stage of their careers, are burning out. They are working marathon shifts that stretch far beyond reasonable limits, often without adequate compensation or structured mental-health support. This is not merely an unfortunate rite of passage; it is a dangerous pattern that threatens the interns themselves, the patients they serve, and the very pipeline of Namibian doctors we rely on to care for future generations. Internship is meant to be demanding. These…

12 Sep

YOUNG OBSERVER | Yellow September

Featured, Uncategorised

On 10 September every year, we recognise World Suicide Prevention Day, which is aimed at raising awareness, reducing stigma and promoting dialogue on the matter of suicide. Although not a consensus through an international organisation, for example, in most countries September is designated as Suicide Prevention Month; this goes beyond awareness to honour those whom we’ve lost to suicide and encourage others to simply hold on. A stark and shocking contrast, therefore, is that in a month where all that surrounds us is supposed to help or at least intended to do so, even if to a degree, Namibia has…

12 Sep

YOUNG OBSERVER | Why stashing cash isn’t enough: A Gen Z guide to building real wealth

Featured, Opinions

Janet Washamba Haufiku : Data analyst and writer You’re 25, and your first pay cheque just landed. Your mind races: should you finally buy that dress you’ve been longing for? Send your mother a gift that says, “I appreciate you more than words”? Or maybe take that long-overdue trip to the coast and finally relax? That first pay cheque hits like dynamite; suddenly, Europe feels within reach, dinner at your favourite restaurant is doable, and even that $15,000 apartment in Kleine Kuppe doesn’t seem so far away. But just like real dynamite, money is powerful and needs careful handling. Spend…

12 Sep

YOUNG OBSERVER | Editorial: Why Young Voices Matter in Building Namibia’s Future

Featured, Uncategorised

On 26 August 2025, Namibia commemorated Heroes Day for the 35th time since independence. That day is a stark reminder of the path we have taken to be the bouncing democracy we are today and further, of the contribution made by young people towards the attainment of independence. Greenwell Matongo, Tobias Hainyeko, John ya Otto Nankudhu, and Patrick ‘Lungada’ Iyambo – these are all names that are familiar in every Namibian household for their participation in the liberation struggle. One interesting fact about each of these men and women is that they were all under the age of 35 when…

12 Sep

OBSERVER DAILY | Parliament in chaos: A national embarrassment

Editorial, Featured, Opinions

The scenes that unfolded in Parliament on Thursday were nothing short of disgraceful. What should have been an ordinary sitting of the National Assembly turned into chaos when Affirmative Repositioning (AR) members clashed with Speaker Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila. The events left Namibians shaking their heads, wondering whether the institution meant to embody our democracy is losing its way. It began when AR member Tuhafeni Kalola rose without permission and refused to take his seat when instructed to do so. The Speaker ordered him out of the chamber, but he refused. When security officers were called in, fellow AR MPs Job Amupanda…

11 Sep

National Literary Festival aims to open markets for authors

Featured, National News

Julia Heita The National Literary Festival will return in October 2025 with a focus on strengthening the role of Namibian literature in education and creating greater market access for local authors. The two-day event will take place at the National Library of Namibia in Windhoek. Organised by the National Arts Council of Namibia through its literature committee, the festival will run under the theme “Open a Book”. Writers, publishers, educators, and literature enthusiasts are expected to gather for panel discussions, workshops, book exhibitions, author signings, and a “Read Corner” aimed at promoting a reading culture among both children and adults.…

11 Sep

BOOK REVIEW | A symbol of a people’s determination: THE WINDHOEK OLD LOCATION by Henning Melber and Dieter Hinrichs

Featured, Opinions

Kae Matundu-Tjiparuro Indeed there could be no more befitting title than A Symbol of People's Determination, a book about the history of the Old Location, the residential area of the indigenous Africans in the then Apartheid South West Africa. Before their forceful removal in the late 1960s from the Old Location, present-day Hochland Park residential area in Windhoek. Befitting title in the sense that indeed the Old Location gave genesis to present-day Katutura. Not as it is today when it has sprawled all over. But then only a small conclave of brick houses spread over a radius of eight (8)…

11 Sep

OBSERVER DAILY | An inconvenient truth: Namibia’s silent suicide crisis

Editorial, Featured, Opinions

Namibia is facing an inconvenient truth, one we have been too timid to confront head-on: suicide is claiming lives at an alarming rate. Among those who have chosen this tragic path are not only men and women buckling under social and economic strain, but children, our children. Every report of a life cut short is not merely a statistic, but a devastating rupture in families, communities, and the nation’s future. And yet, as the suicide rate climbs, our national response remains timid, fragmented, and inadequate. President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah was correct to express concern about suicides in her recent address. But…

10 Sep

SUCCESSION PLANNING, A MISSING LINK IN NAMIBIA’S PUBLIC ENTITIES

Featured, Opinions

Lusia Kornelius and Zucky Bauleth-Nashima Succession planning within Public Entities (PEs) has been overlooked, and failure to implement it can lead to operational inefficiency, derailed strategy implementation and financial losses. When key officials retire or leave unexpectedly, institutions are compelled to conduct external searches for replacements matching the qualifications and years of expertise. While replacement is inevitable, the process is usually lengthy, as it requires an extensive hiring process, which can contribute to operational stagnation and sometimes a management vacuum. These recruitment processes can incur financial implications, which could otherwise be utilised to fund key company projects and improve service…

10 Sep

OBSERVER DAILY | The middleman syndrome: How Namibia bleeds through procurement

Editorial, Featured, Opinions

The Minister of Health and Social Services recently boasted that the ministry saved more than N$200 million through better procurement practices. On the surface, this is good news. But before we clap, let’s pause. Why should we celebrate a ministry for simply not wasting money? Praising a government department for finally buying goods at fair value is like applauding a fish for swimming. It exposes the rot in our procurement system rather than proving its efficiency. And at the heart of this rot is the phenomenon of “middlemen.” The mrise of the middleman Middlemen exist in every economy. They connect…