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Allexer Namundjembo Former Prime Minister Nahas Angula says the ministry of home affairs, immigration, safety and security is capable of dealing with illegal immigrants, rejecting calls for anti-immigrant protests similar to those taking place in South Africa. Angula was responding to questions from the Windhoek Observer on Monday after National Unity Democratic Organisation (NUDO) member of Parliament Vetaruhe Kandorozu called for protests against illegal immigrants and foreign nationals working in Namibia. “Namibia is a law-governed country. The ministry responsible for immigration is capable of dealing with those who violate immigration laws. Mobs belong to societies which have no laws,” Angula…

Renthia Kaimbi The grave of Okahandja murder victim Roswinds Fabianu was vandalised after unidentified people allegedly burned a snake on her grave, leaving the family devastated and raising concerns over cemetery security. The incident was discovered on 25 April 2026, exactly one year after the six-year-old was brutally raped and murdered near the Veddersdal cemetery in Okahandja. Born on 18 September 2018, Ndina, as she was affectionately known, had left for school in April 2025 but never returned home. On what would have been her seventh birthday on 18 September 2025, her mother unveiled her tombstone in a heartfelt effort…

Renthia Kaimbi Minister of agriculture, fisheries, water and land reform, Inge Zaamwani has officially put into effect a Cabinet decision to increase penalty fees on bycatch, raising the levy from 15% to 50%. In a letter dated 12 June 2026 and addressed to finance minister Ericah Shafudah, Zaamwani formally requested approval for the increase, which is grounded in Section 44 of the Marine Resources Act and follows consultation with the Marine Resource Advisory Council. The letter outlines that the ministry has observed an alarming increase in bycatch volumes reported by right holders in recent years. Bycatch, defined under the Act…

Renthia Kaimbi The Roads Contractor Company (RCC) is facing mounting financial and governance pressures, just days after a stormy meeting where minister of works and transport Veikko Nekundi reportedly described the company as “a mess” and demanded answers from its leadership over a disclaimer audit opinion and widespread payment failures. In a letter dated 20 June 2026 addressed to RCC interim chief executive officer Dasius Nelumbu, Bruyns Legal Practitioners, acting on behalf of Dust Construction and Civils (Pty) Ltd, rejected the RCC's purported rescission of a lease-to-own agreement for construction equipment as “factually incorrect, legally unsound” and “a desperate and…

Allexer Namundjembo A total of 1 333 road crashes have been recorded across Namibia between 1 January and 21 June 2026, according to the Motor Vehicle Accident (MVA) Fund, highlighting ongoing concerns over road safety. The MVA said the crashes resulted in 2 273 injuries and 229 fatalities during the six-month period, describing the loss of life as “unacceptable” despite an overall decline compared to 2025. MVA Fund chief corporate affairs officer John Haufiku said the figures show some improvement, but warned that the human cost remains too high. “While there has been a welcomed decline in crashes, injuries, and…

Renthia Kaimbi A legal advisor at the City of Windhoek, Ngatatue Kandovazu, is facing charges of assault for allegedly striking a teacher at Ella du Plessis Secondary School with a stick after supposedly accusing her of striking his younger son. The incident, which took place on the school premises during afternoon school lessons on Monday, has sparked outrage among fellow teachers, with many questioning the level of respect shown toward educators and the growing culture of parental interference in schools. Kandovazu denied any wrongdoing, stating that he stood up for his son, whose life he believed was in danger. The…

Renthia Kaimbi Men will be required to declare all their customary wives before entering into a civil marriage with someone else, according to the new Marriage Act of 2024. While still not in force yet, the Act somewhat introduces the recognition and regulation of customary marriages at the ministry of home affairs, immigration, safety and security. The legislation (Act No. 14 of 2024), signed into law on 2 October 2024, repealed the colonial-era Marriage Act of 1961 and mandated a uniform system for all marriages in Namibia. For the first time, customary marriages will be recognised through a formal process,…

Renthia Kaimbi Competing narratives have emerged from the National Youth Council’s (NYC) general assembly that descended into chaos on Saturday in Swakopmund, suggesting back-door deals and lawful processes under threat from political interference. The assembly left nine delegates injured , forced the electoral committee to resign immediately after citing safety concerns, and effectively wasted an estimated N$2 million in public funds as the process was indefinitely suspended. The meeting, which convened on Friday to elect leadership for the next four years, was meant to conclude today. Instead, it has become a symbol of institutional failure, exposing competing narratives of back-door…

Renthia Kaimbi Finance manager of the Omaruru municipality, Phillip Domingos, is suspected of “cooking the books” after he was found in office on Saturday with an accountant, amid a pending investigation into financial irregularities that led to the suspension of the council's substantive chief executive officer, Valentinus Sindongo, about two weeks ago. Domingos, who was appointed acting CEO of the council following Sindongo's suspension, denied any wrongdoing, saying they were busy preparing annual financial statements. However, Omaruru mayor Eberth Gariseb told the Windhoek Observer that the council was looking to replace Domingos in his acting duties, as the situation has…

CHAMWE KAIRA The government has tabled legislation to establish an independent Tax Court within the High Court system, replacing the defunct Special Tax Court and restructuring the country's tax dispute resolution framework following a 2021 High Court ruling that declared key provisions of the existing system unconstitutional. Tabling the Income Tax Amendment Bill of 2026 in the National Assembly this week, finance minister Erica Shafudah said the proposed amendments seek to create a dedicated Tax Court to hear income tax and value-added tax (VAT) appeals, while clarifying the respective roles of the minister of finance and the commissioner of the…