National News

Allexer Namundjembo Many prospective miners continue to submit incomplete or substandard applications, often without securing the required consent from traditional authorities. This was revealed by deputy executive director in the ministry of industries, mines and energy, Erasmus Shivolo during a  presentation at the 2025 Mining Expo & Conference on Thursday. Shivolo said the ministry frequently receives speculative and premature applications, lacking key documents such as proof of technical and financial capacity. “These kinds of applications slow down the approval process due to the back-and-forth required to address deficiencies,” he explained.  He added that some applications are submitted for restricted or…

Hertta-Maria Amutenja Only 17% of early childhood development (ECD) workers in Namibia hold formal qualifications.  This was revealed by education minister Sanet Steenkamp during the relaunch of the RightStart Programme in Windhoek on Thursday. Steenkamp said the lack of qualified educarers in the ECD sector is a major barrier to lifelong learning and directly contributes to learning poverty in the country.  “In 2023, of 414 069 children aged 0 to 4, only 51 872 accessed ECD services in 2024, meaning over 87 percent of children aged 0 to 4 do not attend integrated ECD programmes, and 60 percent of pre-primary-aged…

Allexer Namundjembo  Eight schools will receive desks and chairs through the 2025 edition of Old Mutual’s Chair and Desk Initiative. The initiative, launched in 2023, is aimed at improving classroom conditions by providing or repairing furniture in under-resourced schools.  This year, the selected schools are located in the Kavango East, Kavango West, Hardap, and Khomas regions, following an open call for applications. Old Mutual executive for marketing, public affairs and sustainability Mignon du Preez said every learner deserves a seat at the table of opportunity.  “By investing in school furniture, we’re not just equipping classrooms, we’re restoring dignity, improving focus,…

Allexer Namundjembo An animal feed production project has claimed first place in the Old Mutual Sustainable, Economic and Empowerment Drive (OM SEED) competition in the Omusati region. The winning venture, led by Sakeus Npiwashimwe, founder of Ndipwa Trading cc, focuses on enhancing food security and promoting sustainable agriculture.  Npiwashimwe will recieve awarded seed capital and business development support to grow his business. Launched in 2022, the OM SEED initiative by the Old Mutual Foundation has supported entrepreneurs nationwide through funding, skills development, and long-term mentorship.  Petrus Daniel, founder of Etunda GSP, secured second place with his agricultural and horticultural enterprise…

Moses Magadza A delegation of senior staff members from the Parliament of Zimbabwe recently concluded a week-long learning exchange visit to Namibia's National Assembly and the Secretariat of the SADC Parliamentary Forum (SADC PF). The assistant clerk to the Parliament of Zimbabwe and leader of the delegation, Prince Daniel, described the experience as enriching and highlighted promising prospects for future collaboration. The six-member delegation focused on deepening their understanding of parliamentary practices, records management, and the institutional evolution of the SADC PF, particularly its transformation journey into a SADC Regional Parliament. “We might be an old democracy compared to our…

Justicia Shipena Debmarine Namibia plans to request a blanket exemption from the US government on rough and polished diamonds. CEO Willy Mertens said the US does not produce diamonds and should not impose punitive tariffs on the industry. “We are going to try and seek a blanket exemption from the US government on both rough and polished diamonds,” he said. He was speaking on Wednesday at the 2025 Mining Expo and Conference in Windhoek. The event, which runs until today, features 198 exhibitors and 335 booths,the largest in its 12-year history. The conference is held under the theme, “Mining for…

Erasmus Shalihaxwe The Affirmative Repositioning (AR) Movement on Wednesday announced that it will contest the upcoming regional and local authority elections scheduled. AR spokesperson George Kambala said the movement will nominate community organisers, unionists, teachers, unemployed youth, and activists rather than career politicians. Namibians are set to vote in the Regional Council and Local Authority Elections on 26 November 2025, while a Special Voting Day for election officials and police officers will be held on 24 November 2025. “The movement will not be funded by tenderpreneurs or looters,” Kambala said, adding that AR will campaign with truth, integrity, and a…

Allexer Namundjembo Residents from Ondiyala and Onantsi in Ondangwa, together with the Landless People’s Movement (LPM), have called on the Ondangwa Town Council to reverse its decision to subdivide and reallocate residential plots The petition comes amid concerns that long-standing land rights are being ignored. Silas Moses, a member of LPM’s political action committee, said some affected plots, including erven 5253, 5254, and 5255 in Ondiyala, have been lawfully occupied since 2000. “These are not just pieces of land. They are homes where families have lived peacefully since the year 2000. We cannot allow decisions that uproot communities without proper…

Allexer Namundjembo Bank of Namibia (BoN) deputy governor Ebson Uanguta says many Namibians continue to face financial exclusion, despite official figures showing increased access to financial services. Speaking at the launch of BoN’s national financial inclusion campaign in Windhoek on Tuesday, Uanguta said statistics alone do not reflect the full reality. “An inclusive financial system is not a luxury; it is a necessity. True monetary stability cannot exist without meaningful economic participation by all our citizens,” Uanguta said. BoN data show that 78% of adult Namibians have access to some form of financial service, but Uanguta emphasises that many citizens…

Allexer Namundjembo  The Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) has officially opened the nomination period for the Outapi Constituency by-election in Omusati region.  This follows after the post became vacant when former councillor Immanuel Shikongo was appointed governor of the Omusati region. The nomination period began on 5 August 2025 and will close on 18 August for independent candidates and 20 August for political parties. The chief electoral officer of the ECN, Peter Shaama, encouraged all political parties and independent candidates to submit their nominations on time.  "The Commission hereby announces the official opening of the nomination period," he said. Nominations…