National News

Niël Terblanché Young Namibians are set to benefit from a new offshore oil and gas training initiative through a partnership between the Namibia Youth Energy Forum (NYEF) and global recruitment firm Atlas Professionals. The Greenhand Program will offer free training to prepare young people for jobs in the oil and gas sector.  It will be rolled out in Windhoek, Walvis Bay, and Lüderitz. This is the first time offshore oil and gas training of this kind has been offered in the country. The programme has already been implemented in countries such as the United Kingdom, Brazil, and Suriname. It is…

Niël Terblanché The Environmental Investment Fund (EIF) of Namibia, in collaboration with the Namibia Green Hydrogen Programme (NGH2P), has developed three green hydrogen-based project proposals with the aim of securing funding from the Green Climate Fund (GCF). The draft concept notes, which focus on energy production and agricultural development in the Kharas region, were the subject of recent stakeholder engagement sessions in Lüderitz and Keetmanshoop. The proposed initiatives include the establishment of a green hydrogen production plant within the Southern Corridor Development Initiative (SCDI), a fertiliser and irrigation plant linked to the Neckartal Green Scheme, and an offshore wind project…

Justicia Shipena  Two students from the University of Namibia (Unam) recently received bursaries from Rosh Pinah Zinc (RPZ).  Each year, RPZ awards one bursary to a student from the //Kharas Region and another to a student from another region.  While previous bursaries were limited to mining-related fields, this year the RPZ opened the opportunity to all fields of study.  It marks the second bursary cycle since Appian Capital Advisory took over the mine. The 2025 recipients are Paulina Shakumu, a second-year Chartered Accounting student from Oshakati, and Secilia Kalimwe, an Economics student from Rundu who was raised in Rosh Pinah. …

Niël Terblanché The Sam Nujoma Foundation will pursue additional ways to honour the legacy of the late founding president.  Former prime minister and the foundation’s chairperson, Nahas Angula, disclosed these plans during a remembrance ceremony on Monday at Heroes’ Acre.  The ceremony was to mark what would have been Sam Nujoma’s 96th birthday. It was the first time the day was commemorated since his passing in February this year. According to Angula, the initiatives include reviving unfinished initiatives such as the Etunda Farm Primary School, which he intended to donate to the government to serve children of farm labourers. “His…

Niël Terblanché The Minister of Health and Social Services, Dr. Esperance Luvindao, paid tribute to Namibian nurses and acknowledged their vital role in the country's healthcare system during International Nurses Day on Monday by paying tribute.  Speaking at the Windhoek Central Hospital, the minister pledged improvements to nurses’ working conditions and professional opportunities. “Nurses are the backbone of Namibia’s healthcare system,” Luvindao said.  She recognised their tireless service in both urban and rural areas, from national referral hospitals to remote clinics.  “It is our nurses who stand at the frontline,” she added. The event, which coincided with the birthday of…

Niël Terblanché The Namibia Revenue Agency (NamRA) has introduced a new requirement to ease traffic congestion and improve the flow of goods at the Katima Mulilo Border Post. From 26 May 2025, all clearing agents must submit goods declarations and supporting documents at least two days before the consignments reach the border. NamRA's chief of strategic communications and support engagements, Yarukeekuro Ndorokaze, said the new measure follows a cabinet decision and a resolution from a stakeholder meeting held on 28 April. “This approach aims to improve traffic flow and expedite clearance at the Katima Mulilo Border Post, allowing NamRA sufficient…

Allexer Namundjebo National Council Member for the Rundu Rural Constituency, Paulus Mbangu, has called for a fairer approach to road infrastructure development during the ongoing discussions on the Roads Bill.  The bill, which aims to improve the management and distribution of Namibia's road network, is being debated in the National Council to address issues of accessibility, economic connectivity, and infrastructure equity across the country. In his speech, Mbangu responded to statements made by Minister of Works and Transport, Veikko Nekundi, who suggested that road equity should be assessed based solely on the length of roads in each region.  While acknowledging…

Niël Terblanché A 43-year-old police sergeant has been arrested following a deadly shooting incident at the Onhuno Road Traffic Checkpoint in northern Namibia, where Eliud Hamukwaya, 38, was fatally shot on Sunday night. Hamukwaya was the co-driver of a heavy truck transporting goods. According to Deputy Commissioner Kauna Shikwambi, the head of the Police’s public relations division, the incident occurred at approximately 22:00 after the truck was stopped by traffic police for failing to produce weighbridge documentation. Shikwambi said that the main driver presented his driving licence to the officer on duty but was unable to present the necessary papers.…

Allexer Namundjembo Nearly seven years after the Second National Land Conference, only 14% of its resolutions have been fully implemented. Land minister Inge Zaamwani said of the 176 resolutions adopted in 2018, only 25 have been completed.  She said 134 resolutions, or 76%, are still being worked on, while 17, or 10%, have not yet started. “We are working to implement the resolutions from the Land Conference, focusing on resettling landless farmers and marginalised communities," Zaamwani said during her budget presentation for the 2025/2026 financial year in the National Assembly. The 2018 conference addressed key issues in resettlement, ancestral land…

Niël Terblanché The long-awaited Baynes hydro-electric plant, a cross-border project on the Kunene River, was part of the agenda discussed by the Namibian and Angolan heads of state last week. President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah and Angolan President João Lourenço met in Luanda during a working visit on 9 May, where they discussed joint initiatives, including the long-discussed Baynes hydropower project. During the meeting, both leaders stressed the urgency of the project, describing it as a driver of economic growth and improved access to energy in both countries. Both heads of state reiterated their commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation, with energy and…