National News

Allexer Namundjembo Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) leader Panduleni Itula says no law will pass in parliament as long as his party serves as the official opposition.  He said the opposition's role is to scrutinise every bill brought before the National Assembly.  “There is a need to scrutinise because our constitutional article 41 says that ministers shall be accountable to parliament. We are not going to have tissue paper bills brought in and passed tomorrow,” he said during IPC's event in Walvis Bay on Saturday, His remarks come after President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah criticised parliament for leaving some bills unfinished.  During…

Renthia Kaimbi The Landless People’s Movement (LPM) says the Namibian government is using a “Tanzania-style” strategy to weaken strong opponents ahead of the elections and create an appearance of democracy. In a letter dated 17 November 2025, penned by its leader Bernadus Swartbooi and addressed to United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the LPM claims that more than 1 634 soldiers have been deployed to its stronghold regions.  According to Swartbooi, troops have taken control of a local authority building and conducted live exercises with the intention of intimidating voters. The letter, seen by the Windhoek Observer, also alleges…

Justicia Shipena The government has approved the second phase of youth-led projects under the National Youth Development Fund (NYDF), allocating N$37.7 million to 66 initiatives across all regions.  The Ministry of Finance says the funding will create 404 jobs in sectors such as agriculture, renewable energy, horticulture, waste management, agroprocessing, green transportation and value-added services. The approved projects cover all regions and include poultry production, livestock rearing, crop farming, biomass processing, aquaponics, innovative technology services, recycling operations, and renewable energy installations.  Finance Ministry spokesperson Wilson Shikoto said the loan amounts range between N$88,000 and N$1 million, assessed through the Agricultural…

Justicia Shipena  The Namibia Grape Company (NGC) has announced plans to expand its operations as it launched its new housing project during President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah’s visit to the Aussenkehr farm on Monday. During the visit, NGC said it intends to scale up its operations as part of its broader strategy to strengthen agriculture as a key economic sector.  The expansion plan will include more housing units, improved on-farm facilities and increased training for young people. Nandi-Ndaitwah officially opened the NGC housing project, a development aimed at improving living conditions for farmworkers and supporting economic growth in the ǁKaras region.  NGC…

Justicia Shipena A patient has died in Windhoek after contracting crimean-congo hemorrhagic fever, commonly known as congo fever.  The patient was admitted to a Windhoek health facility on 18 November with suspected congo fever and died the next day.  Laboratory tests later confirmed the infection, health minister Dr Esperance Luvindao said on Sunday.  This led to the Health Ministry declaring an outbreak in the Khomas region. “We wish to assure the public that we are taking all necessary steps to contain the spread of the virus and urge the community not to panic,” Luvindao said. She said the ministry has…

Renthia Kaimbi The Magistrates and Judges Association of Namibia (MJA) has issued a formal strike notice.  It says members will withhold their labour from today over the government’s prolonged and unexplained failure to implement improved benefits. The notice was sent to finance minister Ericah Shafudah, justice and labour relations minister Fillemon Wise Immanuel, the Magistrates Commission and the office of the judiciary.  It signals a complete breakdown in trust and communication following a court confrontation on 14 November. The dispute centres on the government’s failure to announce a corrected schedule for housing and vehicle allowances.  The Magistrates Commission recommended the…

Justicia Shipena  No results from today’s special voting for the local and regional authority elections will be counted or released.  The Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) chief electoral and referenda officer Peter Shaama said all ballots cast today will remain sealed until voting closes on the main election day, 26 November. “In accordance with the procedures governing special voting, no counting of votes will take place immediately after the close of the poll on 24 November 2025,” Shaama said on Saturday.  He added that special votes are sealed in authorisation envelopes and will only be opened and counted together with…

Justicia Shipena  Illicit financial flows (IFFs) cannot be left to the Namibia Revenue Agency (NamRA) alone, Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) director Bryan Eiseb has warned.  He said treating IFFs as a narrow tax issue would be “a myopic approach” in today’s “business unusual” environment. He stressed that IFFs are a national development threat that requires coordinated action from all key institutions. Eiseb made the remarks on Thursday during the graduation ceremony of Namibia’s first cohort under the EU-funded SecFin Africa project.  The one-year programme trained officials from the Bank of Namibia (BoN), NamRA and the FIC to address tax losses…

Allexer Namundjembo Welwitchia University capped 1 500 graduates during its eighth graduation ceremony on Friday at the Mercure Hotel in Windhoek.  Welwitchia University chancellor and co-founder Scholastika Iipinge said the ceremony reflected the university’s growth and its role in developing Namibia’s workforce.  “It is with immense pride and profound joy that we celebrate the achievements of 1 500 graduates. Your training has equipped you to drive purposeful and sustainable transformation in your fields and communities,” she said. The 2025 cohort included students from the faculty of health sciences and the faculty of law, commerce and education, as well as the…

Justicia Shipena President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has warned that global economic recovery will remain uneven if international governance systems do not become more inclusive and responsive to the needs of developing countries.  She made the remarks during the G20 Leaders’ Summit on Inclusive and Sustainable Economic Growth in Johannesburg, South Africa over the weekend. Nandi-Ndaitwah emphasised the recognition of Africa's role in the global economy and the need to approach development priorities from an African perspective.  “We cannot emphasise enough the growing recognition of Africa’s role in the global economy and the importance of addressing development priorities from an African perspective,”…