National News

Niël Terblanché The minister of agriculture, water and land reform, Calle Schlettwein, has introduced the long-anticipated Land Bill that seeks to ban foreign nationals from acquiring communal and commercial land in Namibia.  Schlettwein tabled the bill last week saying it aims to address long-standing land ownership imbalances and streamline land administration in the country. “Foreign nationals do not have any customs being practised in Namibia traditionally, hence this prohibition,” Schlettwein stated. The bill proposes fines of up to N$50 000 or imprisonment for up to ten years for those who violate this provision.  Foreign investors would, however, be allowed to…

Ester Mbathera  Whale Rock Cement, the controlling entity of Cheetah Cement, has filed a notice to acquire Schwenk Namibia, which holds a majority stake in Ohorongo Cement.  If approved, the transaction, filed with the Namibian Competition Commission (NCC) on 17 February, would give Whale Rock Cement complete control over cement production in Namibia. The deal involves Whale Rock Cement acquiring the entire issued share capital of Schwenk Namibia from SCHWENK Zement International GmbH & Co. KG.  Schwenk Namibia currently holds a 69.83% stake in Ohorongo Cement, with the remaining shares held by Industrial Corporation South Africa (14.27%), Development Bank of…

Erasmus Shalihaxwe Minister of Higher Education, Innovation and Technology Itah Kandji-Murangi wants the Namibia Student Financial Assistance Fund (NSFAF) to revert to the higher education ministry’s control. According to the minister, the separation of the two entities has led to challenges, including a bloated and costly executive structure. Speaking in Parliament last week while motivating the NSFAF amendment bill, she said the move aims to improve administration.  She acknowledged NSFAF’s achievements since operating independently but noted that it also brought complications, such as an automated application process and financial accountability issues. “Problems of financial accountability through formal audits recur, exponential…

Niël Terblanché The Office of the Prime Minister has warned the public against retrieving and consuming spoiled maize meal bags marked “DROUGHT RELIEF AID, GRN – OPM”, which were disposed of at a dump site in northern Namibia. The warning comes after a video clip, depicting villagers from the Omusati region gathering bags of maize meal on a dumpsite, was spreading on social media platforms. The narrator of the video claims that the people in the area of the dumpsite saw four truckloads of the bags of maize meal being discarded. The woman says on the video that when the…

Allexer Namundjembo Martin Lukato formed the National Democratic Party (NDP) in 2003 and fully registered it with the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) in 2004.  After 20 years in politics without securing a seat in parliament, Lukato’s party won a single seat in the National Assembly following last year’s elections.  Now, the NDP leader has expressed his readiness to challenge colonial-era laws that he believes do not benefit the nation. “I want to ensure that laws enacted during colonial times, which are still in place and do not help the Namibian people, are challenged. Every law proposed and accepted before…

Niël Terblanché Residents of Impalila Island in the Zambezi region are finally able to access reliable radio services following the installation of a new FM transmission tower. Speaking at the event, Minister of Information and Communication Technology Emma Theofelus described the construction of the tower by the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) as a development that has been long-overdue, a step towards ensuring that all Namibians, regardless of location, have access to information. “For far too long, the people of Impalila Island and surrounding areas have faced challenges in receiving consistent radio signals. Due to its remote location, access to timely…

Allexer Namundjembo Some people who were allocated houses at the Twaloloka residential area in Walvis Bay following the 2020 fire, are facing eviction.  This comes amid ongoing allegations of corruption and mismanagement of the project. A letter served to some residents, authored by Wilhelm Amukoto on behalf of the government attorney and seen by the Windhoek Observer, demands that the occupants vacate the houses within hours. “We herein demand that you and anyone else unlawfully occupying the property vacate the property within seven (7) working hours,” the eviction letter reads. The eviction has sparked outrage, with many questioning how the…

Ester Mbathera  President Nangolo Mbumba held a farewell lunch with State House staff on Thursday, to mark the end of his tenure as he prepares to hand over the presidency to President-elect Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah on 21 March. Mbumba, who became the first Namibian president to complete the term of a predecessor who passed away while in office, reflected on his time in office during the event. The farewell program was officiated by Inge Zaamwani, Presidential Advisor on Constitutional Matters and Private Sector Interface, and featured musical performances by Kalux and King Tee Dee. Attendees included Khomas Regional Governor, Laura McLeod-Katjirua…

Hertta-Maria Amutenja  Teachers across the country are raising concerns about the lack of sanitary pads for schoolgirls, saying period poverty continues to affect the children’s attendance, academic performance, and participation in school activities. Christof Ngavetene, principal of Tsumkwe Secondary School, said menstrual hygiene products should be made available to all learners to ensure that no girl misses school due to her period. "Sanitary pads should be distributed freely to all schools. The Ministry of Gender and Social Welfare should make budgetary allocations for every child in school. Companies providing catering services to hostels should also be obligated to include sanitary…

Niël Terblanché The foundation has been laid for a new state-of-the-art health centre in Karibib, a project made possible through a partnership between the Ministry of Health and Social Services and QKR Navachab Gold Mine.  The minister of health and social services, Dr Kalumbi Shangula, said at the official launch of the project that once completed, the facility will improve healthcare access for the town’s growing population and surrounding areas. “The existing health facility, inaugurated in 2004, has served the needs of Karibib residents well. However, demographic changes and increased demand for healthcare services make it necessary to expand our…