Featured – Page 19 – Windhoek Observer

31 Jul

When Justice Feels Like Oppression: The Hidden Dangers of Blind Law Enforcement

Editorial, Featured, Opinions

The recent viral video of a deputy sheriff demolishing the home of a black woman has shaken Namibia to its core. Though the action was legally mandated, the optics were devastating: a white man enforcing the destruction of a black woman’s property. In a country still healing from a brutal racial past, such images carry weight far beyond the immediate event. They awaken memories many wish to forget, but as history teaches us, memory does not fade simply because we want it to. Yes, the deputy sheriff acted under a court order, he was doing his job. But there is…

29 Jul

The youth fund: Dead on arrival?

Editorial, Featured, Opinions

The Development Bank of Namibia (DBN) recently launched the Youth Fund, a loan scheme meant to empower young Namibians to start businesses and create economic opportunities. Yet, the Fund sits idle, with “little to no uptake” from the very demographic it seeks to uplift. This scenario is both perplexing and revealing, pointing to deeper systemic flaws in how youth-targeted economic interventions are conceptualised and implemented in Namibia. The Youth Fund’s poor performance raises the fundamental question: was it designed with the realities of young Namibians in mind? Debt, particularly in the context of a weak job market and an unforgiving…

29 Jul

SADC parliamentarians push for right to food legislation

Africa / World, Featured

Moses Magadza Parliamentarians from SADC member states have concluded a high-level meeting and training toward transforming food systems and eradicating hunger in Southern Africa with strong commitments to legislative reforms, regional cooperation, and rights-based governance of agrifood systems. Convened from 22 to 24 July 2025, the inaugural meeting of the SADC Parliamentary Alliance on Agrifood Systems, Food Security and Nutrition, coupled with an intensive Subregional Training on Legislating the Right to Adequate Food, brought together lawmakers from Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. The SADC Parliamentary Forum (SADC PF) and the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the…

29 Jul

The Financial Sector Must Stop Financing Everyone but Namibians

Editorial, Featured, Opinions

When Bank of Namibia Governor Johannes !Gawaxab recently admitted that local ownership and control in our financial sector has reached only 20% against a 25% target set a decade ago, he was not merely stating a statistic, he was laying bare an uncomfortable truth. Namibia’s financial services sector, the backbone of any modern economy, remains far too dependent on and beholden to foreign capital and interests. For ten years, we have tinkered at the edges of transformation. We have introduced localisation quotas, promoted local talent into top management, and celebrated the listing of banks on our stock exchange. Yet beneath this…

28 Jul

Tjihozu Combined School crowned Go Hard or Go Home champions

Featured, SportsTjihozu Combined School crowned Go Hard or Go Home champions

Erasmus Shalihaxwe Tjihozu Combined School from the Kunene region was crowned champions in the men’s football category of the Go Hard or Go Home Tournament last week. Go Hard or Go Home sports director Rauna Haulu said the 2025 tournament aimed to unite young people through sports and build a sense of community. “The 2025 tournament celebrated youthful energy, athleticism, and unity – bringing together learners from various schools in friendly but fierce competition. As we drive toward the year’s end, the atmosphere in our sports community is filled with excitement and gratitude. Following the overwhelming success of the Go…

28 Jul

Liberation Movements – Past Their Sell-By Dates?

Editorial, Featured, Opinions

The former liberation movements of southern Africa – the ANC in South Africa, SWAPO in Namibia, the MPLA in Angola, among others – have gathered in South Africa under the lofty theme:“Defending the Liberation Gains, Advancing Integrated Socio-Economic Development, Strengthening Solidarity for a Better Africa.” On paper, it sounds noble. In reality, it reeks of irony. For decades, these movements carried the dreams of their people, leading struggles that dismantled colonialism and apartheid. They promised freedom, prosperity, and dignity. Today, however, many citizens look at them and ask: What liberation gains are left to defend? Liberation vs. Governance The transition from…

28 Jul

Historic first for Namibian referee at WAFCON final

Featured, Sports

Erasmus Shalihaxwe Namibia Football Association (NFA) president Robert Shimooshili has praised Namibian referee Twanyanyukwa Antsino for making history as the first Namibian to officiate the Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) final. Antsino officiated the match between Nigeria and Morocco on Saturday night. In a statement issued on Sunday, Shimooshili described the occasion as an achievement for Antsino, the NFA, and the nation. "Antsino's selection to officiate the WAFCON final is a testament to her dedication, skill, and unwavering commitment to excellence," he said. Shimooshili said her role in the final brings pride to both herself and the association and…

28 Jul

MTC unveils five-year creator awards sponsorship

Featured

Allexer Namundjembo The Mobile Telecommunications Company (MTC) has pledged N$4.5 million over the next five years to sponsor the Content Creator Awards. Of that amount, N$1.5 million is allocated for this year's event. The announcement was made last week by MTC's spokesperson, Erasmus Nekundi, who said the sponsorship is part of the company’s support for Namibia’s digital space. The awards ceremony is scheduled to take place on 6 December at the National Theatre of Namibia (NTN) and will recognise individuals who have contributed to digital content creation in the country. This year's event will include 20 award categories with increased…

25 Jul

THE FIRST 100 DAYS OF PRESIDENT NANDI-NDAITWAH THROUGH THE LENS OF FREIRE AND UNGER’S EMPOWERED DEMOCRACY: FROM SYMBOLISM TO SUBSTANCE

Featured, Opinions

PAUL T. SHIPALE (with inputs by Folito Nghitongovali Diawara Gaspar) Abstract This analysis examines President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah's inaugural 100 days through the theoretical frameworks of Paulo Freire's conscientization and Roberto Mangabeira Unger's institutional reinvention. Moving beyond ceremonial assessments, this scholarly examination interrogates the substantive transformation of Namibian governance structures and the symbolic yet significant declaration of Nujoma Day. The analysis provides an honest evaluation of performance metrics while establishing a framework for understanding the trajectory from electoral promises to developmental praxis. Introduction: The Crucible of Transformative Leadership Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah first 100 days in office have marked a decisive shift in Namibia’s…

25 Jul

Let’s confront the spectre of tribalism before it consumes us

Editorial, Featured, Opinions

Tribalism is rearing its ugly head in Namibia. What was once whispered in hushed tones has now found a loudspeaker in burning food stalls, toxic social media narratives, and widening social fault lines. The recent incident in Otjinene — where food stalls belonging to Aawambo and Ovazemba people were torched, reportedly by members of the Ovaherero community — is not just an isolated act of criminality. It is a symptom of a deeper, more dangerous illness spreading through our national fabric: a growing sense of ethnic resentment. The background to this violent escalation is as tragic as it is telling.…