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In this interview, Wet Landed Small Pelagic Association (WLSPA) chairperson Johny Johnson Doëseb (JJD) calls for science-led management of Namibia’s horse mackerel fishery, cautioning against increasing total allowable catches (TACs) without clear evidence of sustainable stock recovery. He discusses concerns over low juvenile abundance, actual catches falling well below allocated quotas, the economic importance of the wet-landed sector, quota allocations, bycatch management and international market access. Doëseb also highlights the need for stronger collaboration between government, scientists, economists and industry to balance marine conservation with local employment, processing and economic value addition. Q: Chairperson, recent survey results showed an increase…

Patience Makwele Young people have called for a seat at the green industry table, saying Namibia’s emerging industries need skills beyond engineering and that young people must be included in conversations about the country’s industrial future. The call was made at the Green Industries Youth Forum, held in Windhoek on Friday, where students, young professionals and industry representatives discussed career opportunities and how young people can contribute to sectors such as renewable energy and green hydrogen. Teofilus Shaduka, a young founder of cybersecurity start-up Principia Works, shared that the opportunities extend beyond those directly trained in energy-related fields. Shaduka said…

Namibia must find a way to preserve traditional leadership without financing tribalism, rewarding succession battles or turning cultural titles into gateways to state resources. When six traditional authorities received vehicles valued at N$4.29 million in Otjiwarongo this week, the handover was presented as an investment in traditional leadership and community development.  The vehicles, supplied by Oonani Investments Group, the business arm of the Namibia Traditional Authorities Trust, were valued at N$715,000 each.  The minister of urban and rural development, James Sankwasa, attended the ceremony. The initiative is supported by revenue from government fishing quotas allocated to the trust.  There is…

The black church once challenged the machinery of oppression. Today, it must confront an uncomfortable question: has it become too comfortable to challenge the machinery of power? There was a time when the church in Namibia was more than a place of worship. It was a refuge, a source of education, a voice for the oppressed and, eventually, one of the most important moral forces challenging colonial rule and apartheid. When political resistance was suppressed, church leaders spoke. When activists were detained, church networks offered support. When the international community needed to understand what was happening inside the country, church…

There is something almost deliberately intimidating about a national budget. Billions of Namibia dollars are announced in Parliament. There are revenue projections, expenditure ceilings, fiscal deficits, debt ratios, development allocations, tax measures and three-year forecasts. There are acronyms, percentages and tables that can make the ordinary citizen’s eyes glaze over. Yet behind all those numbers lies a fairly simple question: How much money does the government have, where does it come from, where is it going, and what will Namibians get for it? That is the real budget. Minister of finance Ericah Shafudah’s mid-term budget review, tabled today, is therefore…

Patience Makwele Young innovators have raised concerns over limited funding, intellectual property challenges and difficulties accessing industry support, saying these remain major obstacles to turning research into marketable products. The concerns were raised in Windhoek during the National Student Research Symposium, where student researchers, academics and industry representatives discussed ways to turn research into practical solutions and commercial opportunities. Kholofelo Makhubupetsi, a 26-year-old postgraduate agriculture student at the University of Mpumalanga in South Africa, said developing an innovation required more than a promising idea, as young researchers also had to secure resources, protect their intellectual property and balance academic responsibilities…

From John Muafangejo’s powerful linocuts to Hage Nasheotwala’s transformation of discarded newspapers into thought-provoking works of art, Namibia has a rich artistic heritage. The challenge now is to turn that heritage into a sustainable industry in which Namibians do not merely admire their artists, but actively support, collect and invest in their work. There is a question that every Namibian who takes pride in the country's history, identity and future should be willing to confront: if we do not invest in our own artists, who will preserve our stories, interpret our experiences and ensure that future generations understand who we…

Namibia’s housing crisis is no longer simply about the shortage of houses. It is about the growing distance between what homes cost and what ordinary Namibians can earn. For a young Namibian entering the labour market today, the dream of owning a home increasingly resembles a financial fantasy. The problem is not necessarily that young people do not want to own property. Nor is it simply that banks are unwilling to lend.  The more fundamental problem is that the housing market has moved so far beyond the income levels of ordinary households that even people with jobs are finding themselves…