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Justicia Shipena and Shelleygan Petersen The Namibia Student Financial Assistance Fund (NSFAF) says it was unaware that personal information of more than 7 000 students had surfaced publicly. The Windhoek Observer obtained a document containing names, surnames, NSFAF identity numbers, Namibian IDs, mobile numbers, email addresses, academic details, country and institution of study, student numbers, loan and grant information, as well as non-tuition fees. When approached on Tuesday, acting NSFAF chief executive officer Kennedy Kandume denied any data leak or hack.  “I am not aware of such,” he said. After being shown the document, Kandume denied that the information came…

 Renthia Kaimbi Former head of the Namibia Green Hydrogen Programme (NGH2P), James Mnyupe, has told the government that he is open to working with it whenever needed. The remarks were made in his resignation letter to deputy prime minister Natangue Ithete, seen by the Windhoek Observer. Mnyupe said he has stepped down as head of the programme, effective on 30 September 2025. However, a press statement released on Thursday morning by NGH2P stated that his resignation will take effect on 1 November 2025. “I remain at your disposal to assist the Namibian government in advancing its developmental agenda in any…

Allexer Namundjembo The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT) says veterinarians are investigating the cause of death of an elephant recently found in Etosha National Park.  The ministry confirmed that the elephant was discovered during monitoring operations following wildfires that have destroyed more than 775 163 hectares inside the park since 22 September.  An additional 171 098 hectares of grazing land and communal areas outside the park have also burnt. Farmers from Omutambo-gomawe near the park said they suspected livestock loss. “An elephant was recently spotted, and veterinarians are still determining the cause of its death,” said the ministry's…

Justicia Shipena The Alte Feste Museum restoration project in Windhoek was hit by a setback after the U.S. Ambassador’s Cultural Preservation Fund withdrew its grant.  The withdrawal left a funding shortfall for the revival of the country's oldest building as a cultural hub for remembrance, arts, and heritage. In April last year, then U.S. ambassador to Namibia Randy Berry announced a grant of US$250,000 (about N$4.75 million) through the Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation.  The grant was awarded to the Namibia Craft Centre to support the renovation of Alte Feste, a recognised heritage site under the custodianship of the Ministry…

Justicia Shipena Five of the six people accused in the N$480 million  National Petroleum Corporation of Namibia (Namcor) corruption and fraud case lied during their bail testimonies, magistrate Linus Samunzala said.  On Friday, Samunzala said this was one of the reasons he denied bail to the six accused in the N$480 million case.  He ruled that the evidence of all but one applicant was riddled with contradictions and falsehoods. “It is apparent from the evidence of the applicants, with the exception of the sixth applicant, that they contradicted themselves in material respects, both in their evidence-in-chief and cross-examination, as well…

Allexer Namundjembo Namibia does not need the International Criminal Court (ICC), political analyst Sackaria Johannes has said in support of a motion for the country to withdraw from the court. Johannes’ comments came after Affirmative Repositioning (AR) leader and member of parliament Job Amupanda tabled a motion in the National Assembly on Tuesday calling for Namibia’s withdrawal from the ICC. “Bearing in mind that, for me, the ICC is a biased institution. If you look at history, most of the people who were prosecuted there and found guilty are Africans. But we have some world leaders who have committed war…

Shelleygan Petersen Eight City of Windhoek councillors were blocked from attending the Southern African Inter Municipality Sports Association (SAIMA) games in Lesotho after minister of urban and rural development James Sankwasa disapproved their travel. The councillors had already departed when the message arrived, costing the municipality N$80 000 for the trip.  They were invited to the games in Maseru from 21 to 26 September 2025 under the Lesotho Local Authorities Sports Association. Sankwasa sent a circular on Friday to all mayors, local authority councils, and chief executive officers.  It stated that requests to attend the SAIMA games were disapproved.  “Your…

Justicia Shipena  The resignation of James Mnyupe from the Namibia Green Hydrogen Programme (NGH2) has reignited doubts about the future of the ambitious project.  On Wednesday, reports by The Namibian said Mnyupe stepped down because of a lack of political support. Mnyupe was appointed by former president Hage Geingob as the country’s first green hydrogen commissioner in August 2021.  He later became head of the Namibia Green Hydrogen Programme.  The green hydrogen project was the brainchild of Geingob. Geingob first announced the project during the high-level segment of COP26 in Glasgow in 2021. Corporate governance expert Johan Coetzee told the…

Renthia Kaimbi The government has begun the process to remove Chief Zacharias Seibeb as leader of the Dâure Daman Traditional Authority after years of internal dispute. Urban and Rural Development minister James Sankwasa informed Seibeb of the decision in a letter dated 22 September 2025.  The correspondence, seen by the Windhoek Observer, states that the ministry has “commenced with the degazetting process” against the chief.  The move, authorised under section 8(1) of the Traditional Authorities Act of 2000, would strip Seibeb of official state recognition. The letter referred to a consultative meeting held on 5 June 2025 to address the…

Allexer Namundjembo and Renthia Kaimbi Suspended Walvis Bay rural councillor Florian Donatus was arrested on Monday morning in Swakopmund and formally charged with fraud, alternatively theft and money laundering. The police confirmed and noted that Donatus is expected to appear in the Swakopmund Magistrate’s Court today.  His arrest follows weeks of controversy surrounding his suspension from the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC).  He was suspended on 5 September over allegations of corruption and financial misconduct. The claims include misuse of the Erongo Regional Council’s credit facility to procure goods valued at more than N$116 000 and authorising a N$10 000…