National News

Renthia Kaimbi Erongo governor Natalia |Goagoses has urged regional councillors in Erongo to place the improvement of basic services at the centre of their work. Goagoses made the call on Wednesday during the opening of the Internal Induction Workshop for regional councillors, hosted by the Erongo Regional Council at the Seaside Hotel in Swakopmund. The workshop brought together newly elected councillors and senior officials to align political leadership with the council’s administrative work. She said regional councillors carry heavy responsibility as the level of government closest to communities. “Regional councils are not abstract institutions. When communities experience progress, stability, and…

Renthia Kaimbi Stepping Stone Special Education School has opened its new campus in Ocean View, Swakopmund.  The school, the country’s first registered private institution for neurodivergent and visually impaired children, has moved into a purpose-built facility designed to support learners with specialised needs.  The relocation allows the school to expand its services and respond to a growing waiting list. Founded in 2015 by Almarie Mostert, the school has grown steadily from a small initiative into a key learning space for children who require specialised support.  The new campus creates room for this growth and improves access to tailored education. A…

Allexer Namundjembo The burial arrangements of late liberation struggle veteran Kanana Matias Hishoono have sparked debate over how Namibia treats its war veterans, particularly after death. Whether those who played a key role in the country's independence receive the dignity they deserve has been a subject of debate. Hishoono, who died earlier this month, was a respected freedom fighter and a founding member of the Ovambo People’s Organisation, the precursor to Swapo.  He later served in senior advisory roles within the ruling party and was known for issuing and signing membership cards for prominent figures, including the late president Hage…

Allexer Namundjembo The City of Windhoek says the lack of dedicated national funding remains the main barrier to expanding and improving municipal bus services.  The municipality raised concerns over transport shortages and damaged bus stop shelters. Responding to questions from the Windhoek Observer on Tuesday, city spokesperson Lydia Amutenya said public transport is an essential social service but operates without support from the national social budget. “While public transport is widely recognised as an essential social service, it is currently still not supported by any dedicated funding allocation from the national social budget as should be the case,” Amutenya said. …

Justicia Shipena A High Court review case in which the fishrot accused are challenging the Anti-Corruption Commission’s (ACC) investigations remains delayed.  This comes as the court is still waiting for a review record needed for the matter to move forward. The delay has prevented respondents from filing their answering affidavits and has stalled further progress in the case.  The issue came before deputy judge president Hannelie Prinsloo during a status hearing on Tuesday, following a joint status report dated 16 December 2025. In the report, the accused and several state institutions and private entities told the court that only some…

Justicia Shipena  Seventeen borehole sites across Namibia have been equipped with water softening and treatment systems, improving access to safe drinking water for rural communities. This is through a programme that rolled out the systems in several regions affected by high groundwater salinity by the Environmental Investment Fund of Namibia (EIF), in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform.  EIF on Tuesday announced that it has completed the four-year programme.  The programme began in January 2023 to address long-standing water quality problems in Namibia’s arid and semi-arid areas. It grew from an EIF-led innovation and pilot…

Justicia Shipena Workers at the Northern Regional Electricity Distributor (Nored) will go on strike from Friday.  This is after six years without any wage increase, following the completion of all legal labour processes. The Mineworkers Union of Namibia (MUN) said Nored employees have not received salary adjustments despite repeated engagements through recognised union structures.  The union said workers have now exercised their constitutional right to strike. MUN general secretary George Ampweya said the union views Nored's conduct as unfair, particularly in how resources are allocated. “The Union views this as fundamentally unfair and indicative of misplaced priorities, especially in circumstances…

Justicia Shipena  Modern couples are increasingly drawn to the spectacle of weddings rather than the substance of marriage, leaving many unprepared for the realities of married life, says relationship mechanic Ngamane Karuaihe-Upi. Karuaihe-Upi said people marry for many reasons beyond religion and that pretending otherwise distorts the conversation around divorce.  “Not everyone gets married because God said so. People get married because they are lonely, because of desire, because culture says so, or because of pressure linked to age," he told the Windhoek Observer on Monday.  “People get drunk on the excitement of looking good and being celebrated,” he said.…