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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 The legislation (Act No. 14 of 2024), signed into law on 2 October 2024, repealed the colonial-era Marriage Act of 1961 and mandated a uniform system for all marriages in Namibia.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…

Renthia Kaimbi The Financial Institutions and Markets Act (FIMA) now prohibits employers from deducting financial losses due to employee theft, fraud, dishonesty, or misconduct directly from pension benefits. The practice was previously permitted under Namibia's repealed Pension Funds Act and had, for decades, left retirement savings vulnerable to employer claims based on more than a signed admission of liability. Under the repealed Pension Funds Act, section 37D expressly allowed retirement funds to deduct amounts owed to an employer where the loss arose from theft, dishonesty, fraud, or misconduct, provided the employee admitted liability in writing or a court judgment was…

…Amupanda claims the screenshot is “fake” …Tsumeb acting CEO says allegations are politically motivated  Renthia Kaimbi Tsumeb councillor Sem Nghuulikwa has denied soliciting N$80 000 from an unidentified tenderer, allegedly in exchange for a N$800 000 contract to build 10 houses at the town. Nghuulikwa, who chairs the municipality's management committee, said the allegations are baseless, calling the leaked screenshot “AI-generated” and a politically motivated smear campaign designed to destroy his reputation. The WhatsApp conversation, first posted online by businessman Nico Kaiyamo, appears to show an exchange where a user allegedly identified as Nghuulikwa writes: “You will get 10 houses…

Renthia Kaimbi Minister of urban and rural development James Sankwasa declared that he had approved the appointment of former National Youth Council director, Calista Schwartz-Gowases as chief executive officer of the Tsumeb municipality effective 1 June 2026. However, the newly appointed CEO has still not commenced work, with sources indicating that she is yet to receive a formal letter of appointment. Sankwasa told the Windhoek Observer on Sunday that the matter was resolved, stating, “It's water under the bridge. I already approved the appointment of the first recommended candidate Calista Schwartz, who I expected to assume duty on 01 June…

Renthia Kaimbi Stray animals along the B1 road in the Khomas region are set to receive reflective gear as part of the Animal Visibility Project, with priority given to the high-risk stretch near the Mix informal settlement. The project that was launched in December 2025 aims to reduce nighttime collisions between motorists and free-roaming livestock, which is a leading cause of fatal accidents on Namibian roads. While an official handover ceremony originally scheduled for Monday, 8 June at the Khomas Governor’s office has been indefinitely postponed, the Windhoek Observer understands that implementation plans for the region remain on track. At…