National News – Page 12 – Windhoek Observer

10 Nov

Namibia calls for peace at Russia-Africa Partnership Forum

ObserverNational News

Niël Terblanché The Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Dr Peya Mushelenga, clarified Namibia’s stance toward forming deeper ties with Russia. At the inaugural ministerial conference of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum held in Sochi over the weekend, Mushelenga called for the improvement of political and economic connections with Russia. Mushelenga spoke at the forum where he said the momentum of last year’s summit where Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted African leaders to strengthen ties must not be lost. In his address to the forum, Mushelenga stressed the importance of economic cooperation in an era marked by the rise of the…

10 Nov

Fact Check & ECN sound alarm on misinformation’s impact on democracy

ObserverNational News

Allexer Namundjembo The head of Fact Check Namibia, an initiative that aims to verify public statements and media reports, Frederick Links, said misinformation and propaganda confuse things. Links said this in an interview with the Windhoek Observer earlier this month. According to him, misinformation, especially during election periods, undermines people's rational decision-making capabilities. “If what people see and consume informationally is actually false, misleading, or inaccurate information, that undermines how people can make rational decisions,” he said. He cautioned that voters may completely lose faith in the electoral process if they receive a barrage of false information, which could result…

10 Nov

Katutura residents accuse ECB of failing to rein in CoW on prepaid meters

ObserverNational News

Martin Endjala The Katutura Residents Committee (KRC) has labelled the Electricity Control Board (ECB) as weak in enforcing its mandate to bring misbehaving licensees to order. The Windhoek Observer understands that the Windhoek municipality has taken the ECB to court, seeking to set aside the ECB's directive and grant the municipality a special dispensation. The ECB recently informed the public that a court challenge to its directive from 27 June, which forbids local authorities from blocking prepaid meters due to other municipal arrears, prompted this legal action. This court case has restricted the ECB from taking any actions. The ECB…

10 Nov

NamWater signs contracts to secure water supply in northern Namibia

ObserverNational News

Niël Terblanché NamWater has reached another goal in its commitment to national water infrastructure development, with the signing of contracts to construct a new pipeline between Ogongo and Oshakati. This project, an integral part of NamWater’s strategy to ensure reliable water supply across the country, is anticipated to bolster water security and support the anticipated growth in demand in Northern Namibia. NamWater’s chief executive officer Abraham Nehemia during the signing ceremony at the end of last week in Windhoek, said the project aligns with NamWater’s long-term vision for a secure water supply, especially in regions where economic development and population…

10 Nov

EU contributes N$3.8 million to drought relief efforts

ObserverNational NewsAna Beatriz Martins, EU Ambassador, Namibia Red Cross Society

Niël Terblanché The European Union (EU) has donated approximately N$3.8 million to support Namibia's ongoing drought relief programme in a gesture of international solidarity. The announcement of the generous donation was made on Friday during a ceremony attended by Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila and EU Ambassador to Namibia, Ana Beatriz Martins. Kuugongelwa-Amadhila expressed the Namibian government's gratitude for the EU's timely assistance, highlighting that the funds will be channelled through the Namibia Red Cross Society. She said that the collaboration aims to provide essential aid, including food, clean water, and multipurpose cash, to over 140 000 individuals affected by drought…

10 Nov

KAZA TFCA secures access to N$2 billion in funding for biodiversity protection

ObserverNational NewsKavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area

Niël Terblanché By addressing critical challenges such as habitat fragmentation, human-wildlife conflict, and climate change, securing a partnership aimed at securing a sustainable future for both the region's rich biodiversity and its human populations is vitally important. In this regard, one of Southern Africa's most extensive environmental conservation efforts, the Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA) has secured a substantial financial commitment from the United Kingdom. The KAZA Secretariat and the UK government formalised their collaboration through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at implementing the Biodiverse Landscapes Fund (BLF) within the KAZA region at Westminster House in Gaborone…

10 Nov

Labour ministry introduces good practice code for labour inspectors

ObserverNational NewsCode of Good Practice, Labour Inspectors

Erasmus Shalihaxwe Acting Executive Director in the Ministry of Labour, Industrial Relations and Employment Creation Aune Mudjanima, said the ministry has finally enacted the Code of Good Practice for Labour Inspectors that will serve as their operational standard procedures. A communication issued by the ministry last week stated that Labour Inspectors are appointed in terms of the Labour Act 2007, (Act. No. 11 of 2007) and they are tasked with legal duties of enforcement of the law on Basic Conditions of Employment and Occupational Safety and Health. The Code of Good Practice became effective on 23 October and is published…

10 Nov

LPM calls on opposition parties to collaborate and be extra vigilant on election day

ObserverNational News

Erasmus Shalihaxwe The Landless People Movement (LPM) second Deputy Operative Secretary, Eneas Envula said that opposition political parties contesting in the upcoming national elections should collaborate and be extra vigilant in observing the election on polling days. Envula made the call over the weekend, stating that opposition parties should value the role of political agents and try to deploy them at every polling station across the country to maintain vigilance during the election process and voting day, counting of provisional results, verifications and the declaration of such results at voting stations, and even the mobile ones. ‘’This is a clarion…

07 Nov

Block E residents will own homes after waiting 45 years

ObserverNational News

Allexer Namundjembo Rehoboth’s Block E residents are on the brink of homeownership after decades of waiting. The Rehoboth Town Council has implemented the alienation scheme in the town’s Block E, allowing residents to become homeowners of the houses they have lived in since 1978. The scheme will alienate 609 properties. Rehoboth Local Authority councillor Jacky Khariseb explained at a public briefing last week at the Government Information Centre that the town council successfully implemented the scheme with assistance from the regional governor and various stakeholders, including the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development and the Ministry of Finance. “The town…

07 Nov

13 Namibians kicked off the Santorini oil drilling ship

ObserverNational News

Ester Mbathera Thirteen Namibian workers were dismissed from the Santorini oil drilling ship on Friday, just two weeks after starting work with Connect Catering Services (CCS). CCS is subcontracted by Pellegrini Catering Overseas, which is contracted by Galp Energia, the Portuguese oil company with a majority stake in the Orange Basin's Petroleum Exploration Licence 83. Attempts to get a comment from Hugo Lopes, the operations director of CCS, proved futile, as he did not respond to questions sent to him via WhatsApp. The Windhoek Observer wanted to understand the rationale behind the decision to replace Namibian employees. This publication also…