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…bank lends over N$250m annually as treasury support averages just N$99m Patience Makwele Agribank is facing a funding squeeze, with the agricultural lender advancing more than N$250 million in new loans each year while receiving an average of only about N$99 million annually from the national treasury. The figures, disclosed in parliament on Thursday, reveal a gap of approximately N$151 million between the bank’s annual lending activity and direct treasury support, forcing Agribank to rely heavily on other funding channels to keep its lending programme going. Agriculture, fisheries, water and land reform minister Inge Zaamwani revealed the figures while responding…

Sostenus Wilherm Political analysts have warned that growing confrontations in the National Assembly could shift parliamentary politics away from substantive policy debates towards political spectacle, potentially weakening public confidence in the institution. The warning follows a heated exchange in the National Assembly on Tuesday that saw Affirmative Repositioning (AR) members of parliament Job Amupanda and Ester Haikola-Sakaria ordered out of the chamber after they allegedly disrupted proceedings by banging on their desks. The confrontation erupted after minister of information and communication technology Emma Theofilus referred to Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) member Bertha Victoria Nghifikwa as a “Swapo Party sister-in-law”…

Patience Makwele A Bank Windhoek customer is demanding answers after discovering that she had allegedly been declared dead, her accounts closed and funds transferred without her knowledge. The customer, who has asked not to be named because the matter is still under investigation, says she discovered something was wrong when she stopped at a shop after work to buy bread and her bank card was declined for insufficient funds. She had used the account the previous day and had not checked her balance. After returning home, she logged into her Bank Windhoek app and found that her accounts were no…

Patience Makwele Domestic violence should no longer be treated as a private family matter, with communities urged to report abuse instead of looking the other way, social worker Inotila Mwafongwe has warned. Her call comes as more than 290 domestic violence cases were recorded in Windhoek between January and May this year, with police cautioning that the number could be higher because many victims remain reluctant to report abuse. Mwafongwe, who has 15 years of experience in social work, said people who hear violence taking place behind closed doors should not assume it is a matter for the family to…

Renthia Kaimbi The legality of the Walvis Bay Municipality’s debt collection agreement with RedForce Debt Management has come under renewed scrutiny, with urban and rural development minister James Sankwasa ordering the council to halt the contract. The municipality’s management committee chairperson, Ephraim Shozi, agreed that the agreement is invalid because it was not executed in accordance with the Local Authorities AcSankwasa, in a letter dated 10 September 2026 addressed to Walvis Bay mayor John Shimhilinga, directed the municipality to stop expenditure linked to the RedForce agreement, recover funds allegedly wasted through the contract and act on an Attorney General’s legal…

…as veterinary fence tender faces fresh challenge Renthia Kaimbi Kapana vendors at Windhoek’s Single Quarters and families preparing for weddings where cattle are required for ‘lobola’ (bride price) are among those caught in uncertainty following the nationwide suspension of livestock movement, trade and slaughtering after Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) was detected in the //Kharas Region. The restrictions have raised questions over whether cattle can still be slaughtered for weddings, funerals and other customary events, while consumers countrywide have rushed to secure meat amid fears of shortages. The questions are now being put directly to the government, with lawyers representing Affirmative Repositioning…

Renthia Kaimbi and Chamwe Kaira Affirmative Repositioning leader Job Amupanda has warned against the movement of meat from the FMD-affected south to northern Namibia, as the Namibia Agricultural Union (NAU) prepares to call for a state of emergency following the confirmation of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) in the country’s FMD-free zone. The warning comes after the government suspended the movement of all cloven-hoofed animals and their products across the country, as well as the import and export of such animals, following confirmation that 10 out of 11 samples collected from cattle in the Karasburg State Veterinary District tested positive for FMD.…

Renthia Kaimbi and Patience Makwele Granting men a statutory entitlement to paternity leave could see some fathers spending an entire year away from work if they have children with multiple women, justice and labour relations minister Fillemon Wise Immanuel told the Windhoek Observer on Tuesday. Immanuel said that while the absence of statutory paternity leave remains an issue in Namibia, any move to introduce such an entitlement would require careful consideration because of the potential impact on workplace productivity. “Other than the absence of a statutory paternity leave entitlement in Namibia, a call for its introduction needs to be carefully…

Staff Writer The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has summoned Namibia Airports Company (NAC) chief executive officer Bisey /Uirab to appear before the commission as part of an ongoing investigation into alleged corrupt practices at the state-owned company. The summons, issued on September 9, directed /Uirab to appear before authorised officer Matias Amadhila at the ACC headquarters in Windhoek on Monday. However, being summoned by the ACC does not in itself constitute a finding of wrongdoing or guilt. The summons is part of an investigative process through which the commission seeks information and documentation to establish the facts surrounding transactions and decisions…

Patience Makwele Namibia’s justice system is struggling with poor court infrastructure, shortages of specialist services, weak record management and avoidable postponements that continue to slow the delivery of justice. The problems came into light on Friday as the three-day State of Justice Conference in Windhoek concluded, with officials calling for practical measures to address weaknesses across the justice chain. Ministry of justice and labour relations executive director Audrin Mathe said some courts remain inaccessible and poorly maintained, while others lack secure waiting areas, private consultation spaces and suitable facilities for children who have survived gender-based violence. He also pointed to…