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Niël Terblanché Namibia will impose new visa requirements on nationals from 33 countries at the beginning of April 2025. This decision, announced by Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security Deputy Minister Lucia Witbooi, follows a thorough review of the visa-free agreements established 33 years ago. Deputy Minister Witbooi explained that despite Namibia's long-standing goodwill in exempting many countries from visa requirements, several of these nations have not reciprocated. "Namibia has extended visa exemptions to many countries, but unfortunately, the same courtesy has not always been returned. In recent years, both Canada and the UK reintroduced visa requirements for Namibian passport…

Martin Endjala Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are facing survival challenges as government capital projects and funds are redirected to the state-owned August 26 Construction. Peter Amadhila, vice president of the Namibia Local Business Association, noted that, as a result, many SMEs in the construction sector are struggling. “Stop asking about projects, as there are hardly any or no more projects, especially construction, going into the SMEs countrywide. All government construction projects are allocated directly to August 26, uncontested,” he said. Amadhila said roads are also allocated to the government's parastatal company, Roads Construction Company (RCC). “The native businessmen and…

Martin Endjala The Whistleblower Protection Act, passed in 2017, urgently needs to go into effect, according to the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) and the Popular Democratic Movement (PDM). Graham Hopwood, the executive director of IPPR, made the call on African Anti-Corruption Day, observed annually on July 11. This year's theme is “Effective Whistleblowers Protection Mechanism: A Critical Tool in the Fight Against Corruption”.“ “In view of this, the IPPR, through its Integrity Namibia project, calls on the government to urgently operationalise the Whistleblower Protection Act, which was passed in 2017. Seven years later, this crucial law remains unimplemented,…

Stefanus Nashama Vice President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah says the country would need N$8 billion to construct standardised sports facilities in all constituencies. Nandi-Ndaitwah made these remarks in Windhoek on Tuesday at a dinner event honouring the Brave Warriors, following their loss to Angola in the Cosafa Cup over the past weekend. “I have done my homework, and if N$8 billion is available, it is possible to have standardised sports fields in all constituencies,” she said. She added that such funds would enable the country to have a regional capital in the form of a Grade 2 sports stadium. “It does not…

Stefanus Nashama Former Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) member of parliament, Johannes Martin says President Nangolo Mbumba should be ashamed of praising the performance of the Brave Warriors in the final of the Cosafa Cup 2024. He said this during an interview with the Windhoek Observer over the weekend, concerning the underdeveloped sports facilities. “I am shocked to see the President praising the Brave Warriors for making it to the final. Yes, it is something worthy of praise, but if I were him, I would be even more ashamed to speak about the performance of the boys when, looking back home,…

Niël Terblanché The Ministry of Health and Social Services is working on ways to mitigate the challenges of supplying medicines and clinical supplies to public health facilities. The health minister, Dr Kalumbi Shangula, revealed this on Monday while providing an update on the ministry’s ongoing initiatives and the challenges faced over the past three years at the Government Information Centre. He said that these issues of shortage of medicine and clinical supplies stem from legal challenges to procurement processes, lengthy procedures, low procurement thresholds and poor supplier performance. “To mitigate these challenges, the Ministry has introduced several measures, including obtaining…

Martin Endjala and Ester Mbathera The Namibia Competition Commission (NaCC) lodged a second investigation on 6 July, against various owners and operators of vessels. According to a statement issued on 5 July, the NaCC suspects that there are companies that are imposing unfair purchase prices when negotiating quota usage fees with the fishing rights holders without vessels in the Horse Mackerel sub-sector. “The various fishing vessels are referred to herein as the Respondents. The investigation is initiated in terms of Section 33 of the Competition Act No. 2 of 2003”. NaCC has afforded these companies an opportunity within a period…

Ester Mbathera The High Court of Namibia has struck down the case involving businessman Daniel Kamunoko, who is suing Standard Bank Namibia Limited, and several respondents for US$8.9 billion (about N$184 billion). The matter was removed from the roll on 25 June marking it as inactive, effectively ending the current proceedings without further action. “The case is struck from roll in terms of R132(10) and finalised as Case Inactive (Rule 132),” reads the court documents. This is despite the fact that this was appealed in the Supreme Court under case no. SA 7/0023. Kamunoko cited the Supreme Court delay as…