Main – Page 45 – Windhoek Observer

26 May

Swapo rubbishes letter about the suspension of Geingob

ObserverMain

Stefanus Nashama The SWAPO Party says that a letter circulating on social media platforms announcing the suspension of President Hage Geingob as the leader of the party is not authentic and does not concern the party. The Swapo Party Spokesperson, Hilma Nicanor yesterday in an interview with the Windhoek Observer, denounced the allegations. The letter titled; ‘Suspension from the Swapo Party President Position’ is purportedly written under the name of one Reinhold Shipwiikineni and sparked shockwaves. A number of people reacting to the said letter said that the letter is seriously misleading the nation, damaging the party’s reputation and creating…

24 May

Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic fever claims one life

ObserverMainCrimean-Congo Hemorrhagic fever claims one life

Niël Terblanché A deadly outbreak of Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic fever in the Gobabis district claimed its first life at the end of last week. According to Ben Nangombe, the Executive Director of the Ministry of Health and Social Services, the patient with a suspected infection of Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) was treated at a private health facility in Gobabis on 16 May. He was referred to Lady Pohamba Private Hospital on 17 May 2023, and in the early hours of 18 May 2023, the patient was referred and admitted to the Windhoek Central Hospital, Isolation Unit. Blood samples for CCHF investigation…

23 May

Release TransNamib Audit Report – IPPR

ObserverMainRelease TransNamib Audit Report - IPPR

Martin Endjala The Institute for Public Policy Research, IPPR, is demanding for the release of the Ernst and Young, E&Y, auditing firm’s forensic report on alleged irregularities at TransNamib which was conducted in 2022. The IPPR says the report ought to be released, given the fact that TransNamib is a public entity. In 2021, it was also reported that there was over-compensation of non-performing executives, while the institution was underperforming and making losses of an estimated N$10 million monthly. According to IPPR researcher, Frederico Links it is time that state-owned entities stop operating in silos when it comes to reports…

22 May

Court orders the reinstatement of Sinvula

ObserverMainCourt orders the reinstatement of Sinvula

Niël Terblanché High Court Judge, Boas Usiku on Friday ordered for the reinstatement of Kisco Sinvula, who was removed as the Chief Executive Officer of the Grootfontein Town Council last year. Sinvula was removed from his post as the Grootfontein municipality’s CEO in March last year and subsequently approached the High Court to review and set aside the council’s decision to suspend him. At the time, the Minister of Urban and Rural Development, Erastus Uutoni also ruled that the suspension of Sinvula was not done in accordance with proper procedures, and directed the council to follow regulations in suspending the…

19 May

Shaningwa denies using Kavango residents as ‘voting cows’

ObserverMainShaningwa denies using Kavango residents as ‘voting cows’

Stefanus Nashama The Secretary General of the SWAPO Party, Sophia Shaningwa, has strongly denied allegations that the ruling party uses Kavango people as voting cows. Shaningwa said the people of the two Kavango regions cannot be used under any circumstances as ‘voting cows’. She stressed that the Kavango regions have the strongest support of the Swapo Party, and the residents in those respective regions have the right to vote for the parties of their choice. “The notion that people in the two Kavango regions are voting cows is wrong. There is nothing like that, and I want to condemn this…

17 May

Shannon’s family disappointed with acquital ruling …Prosecution failed to prove guilt

ObserverMain

Hertta-Maria Amutenja Emotions ran high at the Windhoek High Court yesterday, after the court acquitted siblings Azaan Madisia and Steven Malundu in the murder of Shannon Wasserfall. Her family has since expressed that they would appeal the ruling by Judge Christie Liebenberg, who only convicted the siblings on the charge of Defeating the course of Justice. Shortly after the ruling, the deceased family members, visibly emotional said that the justice system has failed the family. Judge Liebenberg found that the state did not lead evidence in proving the murder and robbery charges and based its case on conflicting statements made…

16 May

Namibia ranked sixth in Africa foroverall investment attractiveness

ObserverMainNamibia ranked sixth in Africa foroverall investment attractiveness

Martin Endjala Namibia has been ranked sixth out of 16 African jurisdictions surveyed on overall investment attractiveness. This is according to the 2022 Fraser Institute Survey of Mining Companies, which showed that Namibia improved on the overall Investment Attractiveness Index (IAI) by seven points from 52 in 2021 to 59 in 2022. On this index, Namibia was ranked 38th out of 62 jurisdictions surveyed, compared to 59 out of 84 jurisdictions in 2021. Reacting to the good news, the President of the Chamber of Mines Zebra Kasete yesterday said that Namibia’s performance in the 2022 Fraser report is fairly good,…

15 May

Consensus averts disastrous Keetmanshoop by-election

ObserverMainConsensus averts disastrous Keetmanshoop by-election

Niël Terblanché and Stefanus Nashama A consensus that was reached between political parties contesting in the Keetmanshoop by-election averted a situation which would have kept voters from electing a new representative on the rural constituency council. The Karas Regional Coordinator of the SWAPO Party, Mathew Mumbala, said that the consensus was reached in the interest of democracy. Mumbala said all contesting parties agreed that the Electoral Commission of Namibia’s efforts to re-issue voter cards to people who lost their cards or to those whose documents were destroyed or have become illegible two days before the election would have derailed the…

12 May

Okahandja escapes NamPower disconnection plans

ObserverMain

Martin Endjala The joint venture between the Central North Regional Electricity Distributor (CenoRED) and the Okahandja Town Council has managed to dodge the plans of NamPower to disconnect clients in arrears from the national power grid after agreeing to N$2 million in outstanding debt. The successful talks were held yesterday in the capital. The new agreement was confirmed by Gabriel Awaseb, the CenoRED Acting Chief Executive Officer during a media briefing yesterday. Awaseb said that the initial report earlier this week created a fuzz in the public with many residents reporting that they were shocked and in panic upon seeing…

11 May

Debt-riddled Meatco faces insolvency

ObserverMainDebt-riddled Meatco faces insolvency

Niël Terblanché Competition from the private sector has rendered the Meat Corporation of Namibia technically insolvent with the state-owned enterprise’s debt currently surpassing its assets. Meatco’s line ministry has now started with an urgent intervention to get the corporation back on an even keel. The Minister of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform, Calle Schlettwein, at a workshop in Swakopmund, said that initiating reform and supporting the sustainability of Meatco is essential for it to serve as an anchor for continued market access and price stabiliser for all livestock producers, in both communal and commercial farming areas. “We are working closely…