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Ester Mbathera There appear to be no obvious legal avenues available to pursue reparations for the 1904-08 Ovaherero-Nama genocide. This is according to a recent report by the International Human Rights Clinic titled “Restitution, Reconciliation, and Reparations for Namibia.” The reports highlighted the difficulties in obtaining legal redress for the Ovaherero and Nama genocide, despite the clear classification of the events under both conventional and customary international law. The report emphasises the need for continued research into potential avenues for achieving restorative justice, both domestically and internationally. It also calls for further exploration of whether the non-retroactivity of the 1948…

Hertta-Maria Amutenja Many remember former education minister Katrina Hanse-Himarwa for her contributions to Namibia's education system. Hanse-Himarwa passed away early on Sunday morning at the age of 57. Her husband, Ghenno, who announced her death, remarked on her legacy of love and kindness. "Her unwavering strength, compassion, and the joy she brought us will forever be remembered," he said. Hanse-Himarwa was born on 22 January 1967, in Hoachanas in the Hardap Region, where she also started her political journey. She was a member of the SWAPO central committee at the time of her passing. Hanse-Himarwa has worked as a teacher…

Hertta-Maria Amutenja The moment you step into the Grootfontein Single Quarters, the pungent smell of urine greets you from what should be ablution facilities. The stench is overwhelming as if the very air is saturated with years of neglect. Scattered rubbish and crumbling buildings tell a story of forgotten people and forsaken promises, remnants of the apartheid era. This is the condition in which residents of single quarters have lived for years. “There is no difference from this pigsty we are in,” said Linus Iyambo, who has been living in the single quarters since 1992. These quarters, erected in the…

Martin Endjala and Ester Mbathera The reduction of seats by the deregistration of political parties by the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) is said to have created a much bigger crisis in the National Assembly than initially anticipated. This is according to a former member of parliament and Rally for Democracy Party (RDP) president, Mike Kavekotora. He said that the ECN and the speaker of the National Assembly, Peter Katjavivi, must dissolve parliament with immediate effect. “The ECN was quick to deregister the Namibia Economic Freedom Fighter (NEFF), Christian Democratic Voice (CDV), and Democratic Party of Namibia (DPN), but it…

Martin Endjala In the quiet, isolated village of Omuntele, about 50 kilometres from Ondangwa, Joel Shikongo lives a life shrouded in the shadows of a tarnished legacy. His father, Petrus Shikongo, once a proud fisherman, lost his job in 2018 as a result of the infamous Fishrot scandal that rocked the Namibian fishing industry. “They call him Fishrot because of what he built when he was working in the fishing industry," he said. This nickname is a cruel reminder of his father's association with the Heinaste freezer horse mackerel vessel, now forever linked to corruption and deceit. "They say he…

Ester Mbathera The Municipality of Grootfontein has revived its sanitary towel distribution project by allocating N$36 000 of its operational budget towards girls' hygiene products at local schools. The project, initiated by the junior council in 2018, went dormant in 2021. Grootfontein mayor, Talitha Garises explained that the sanitary towels will be distributed among seven schools in the town. “The initiative was revived to ease the burden on the parents and to help keep the girls in school,” she said. Megameno Festus, the life skills teacher at Makalani Primary School, is one of the beneficiaries of the initiative. She explained…

Hertta-Maria Amutenja The theft of car parts in garages has become a problem that affects both business owners and customers. In 2022, Tangeni Mushelenga took his vehicle to a local mechanic for service. They informed him that the engine required repair. Mushelenga collected the vehicle in the afternoon of the same day. “When I took the car to another mechanic, he informed me that it had never been serviced. In fact, they exchanged my genuine parts with old ones,” he said. Mushelenga explained that he has since learned to mark his parts whenever he takes any vehicle for service. “I…

Niël Terblanché The Heads of State of both Namibia and Botswana reaffirmed their commitment to safeguarding borders and promoting peaceful co-existence. President Nangolo Mbumba during official discussions between the leadership of the two nations said that enhanced cooperation in defence and security is seen as vital for addressing transnational threats such as terrorism and organized crime. President Mbumba and President Mokgweetsi Masisi of Botswana engaged in official talks at Swakopmund to bolster bilateral relations and cooperation on Thursday. President Masisi returned to Namibia for an official state visit for the first time since the memorial services for President Hage Geingob,…

Hertta-Maria Amutenja The Namibia Local Businesses Association (NALOBA) has criticised the government's reliance on foreign borrowing. NALOBA’s vice president, Peter Kanu Amadhila at the start of this week highlighted the national debt, which currently stands at N$153.8 billion, emphasising its potential impact on future generations. “It is irresponsible borrowing. Namibia is not supposed to be borrowing money from other countries,” he said. Amadhila said Namibia, which was once envisioned as a prosperous lender rather than a borrower, faces a concerning trend of prioritising borrowed funds over sustainable economic strategies. "Our country was supposed to be lending money to other countries!…