National News

Allexer Namundjebo Walvis Bay Rural Constituency councillor Donatus Tegako has denied claims that he used his position to award a study grant to his alleged cousin, Patrik Naftal.  Tegako says the accusations are false and politically driven. The allegations involve a N$10 000 grant reportedly awarded to Naftal through the Constituency Development Committee.  Critics claim the amount exceeded the maximum N$5 000 usually granted per student and suggest Naftal received special treatment due to family ties with Tegako. Responding to Windhoek Observer, Tegako said he does not manage or approve financial decisions at the regional council. “I want to make…

Niël Terblanché NamWater has introduced temporary measures to support the water supply to Walvis Bay, following ongoing shortages caused by damaged power infrastructure. Most of the damage comes from copper wire theft, affecting electricity transmission to boreholes in the Kuiseb River Delta.  NamWater spokesperson Lot Ndamanomhata said the utility began using generator sets on 16 June 2025 to power selected boreholes in the Kuiseb New Delta Scheme. He said the shortages are also due to failing overhead power lines that have deteriorated from age, corrosion, and repeated exposure to harsh weather, which has limited borehole performance. “This interim solution aims…

Justicia Shipena  The Puros Solar Mini-Grid project has reached a total investment of N$14 million.  This follows a recent N$8 million contribution from the ministry of industry, mines and energy.  The latest funding forms part of a service-level agreement between the Ministry and the Environmental Investment Fund (EIF) of Namibia. EIF spokesperson Romeo Muyunda said the new investment marks a major step in expanding access to sustainable and affordable energy in the Kunene Region. Launched in 2024, the Puros project is a joint effort between the EIF and the Northern Regional Electricity Distributor (NORED).  It is co-financed by the Ministry…

Allexer Namundjebo At the age of 23, Marshall Aibeb from the Hai//om San community has built a mahangu threshing machine to help farmers during harvest season.  The machine simplifies the difficult and time-consuming process of threshing mahangu, also known as pearl millet. Aibeb is a level 2 metal fabrication student at the Community Skills Development Foundation (COSDEF) in Ondangwa.  He received a scholarship from the Palms for Life Fund, which supports youth in marginalised communities. “I enrolled at COSDEF the year before last through the Palms for Life Scholarship, and I started my internship this March. I’ll finish in August,”…

Allexer Namundjebo The former mayor of Omuthiya, Johannes Ndeutapo, says he is still a duly elected councillor.  This comes despite reports claiming he has been dismissed by Urban and Rural Development Minister James Sankwasa. Speaking to the Windhoek Observer on Sunday, Ndeutapo said he had not received any official communication regarding his removal from office.  “I am an elected councillor, and I am still a councillor until those who elected me decide otherwise,” he said. “I don’t report to the minister. There are procedures that the minister ought to follow. I also just saw the media reporting on the matter.…

Allexer Namundjebo Since 2020, the ministry of agriculture, water and land reform has built 42 earth dams.  These include 16 in Oshana, 10 in Ohangwena, three in Oshikoto, two each in Hardap, Karas, and Omusati, three in Kunene, and four in Kavango West. Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare revealed this statistic to Parliament on Thursday, while responding to questions by PDM leader McHenry Venaani.  Ngurare said that while progress has been made in assessing the feasibility of floodwater harvesting, dam construction must be strictly monitored.  “Significant efforts have been made to assess and address the feasibility of floodwater harvesting in flood-prone…

Niël Terblanché The ministry of home affairs, immigration, safety and security has announced the launch of the country's first electronic identity card (e-ID), with the official roll-out event set for 26 June 2025 in Windhoek. The project, implemented in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), marks a step toward the country’s digital transformation. The roll-out follows an August 2023 Cabinet decision which approved the introduction of contactless chip IDs, similar to bank cards with an electronic chip embedded.  "Since then, the government has been engaged with putting the required infrastructure in place and engaging the relevant stakeholders for…

Niël Terblanché The Namibian Ports Authority (Namport) has partnered with the Namibian National Association of the Deaf (NNAD) to support the creation of a locally designed mobile application for sign language. Through its Namport Social Investment Fund (NSIF), the state-owned enterprise donated an iMac and a MacBook worth N$100,000 to strengthen the NNAD’s technical capacity.  The handover took place last week at Namport’s head office in Walvis Bay. Namport’s manager of marketing and stakeholder engagement, Cliff Shikuambi, said the donation is part of a broader commitment to inclusive socio-economic development.  “Through NSIF, we aim to support interventions that make a…

Niël Terblanché Defence and veterans affairs minister Frans Kapofi has dismissed claims of corruption in the ministry’s procurement processes, stating that all acquisitions follow legal procedures and are subject to oversight. Kapofi was responding to a question in Parliament from Affirmative Repositioning (AR) leader Job Amupanda.  Amupanda had raised concerns about the awarding of tenders and whether proper procedures had been followed in the procurement of surveillance equipment and related goods. “There is no corruption in the procurement of surveillance equipment or any other procurement that is done through the Ministry of Defence and Veterans Affairs,” said Kapofi.  He said…

Niël Terblanché President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah will lead Namibia’s delegation to the 2025 U.S.–Africa Business Summit in Luanda, Angola, this week. The summit is hosted by the Corporate Council on Africa and the Angolan government. It will bring together African heads of state, ministers, senior U.S. officials, and business leaders from both continents. Under the theme, "Pathways to Prosperity: A Shared Vision for the U.S.-Africa Partnership," the summit aims to strengthen economic ties and explore new trade and investment opportunities. Namibia’s participation is aimed at advancing partnerships and attracting investment in key sectors such as agriculture, energy, mining, oil and gas,…