National News

Niël Terblanché The Indian Navy’s state-of-the-art frigate, INS Tushil, made its maiden port call at Walvis Bay from 21 to 23 January. The ship’s visit marked another step in strengthening maritime cooperation between India and Namibia. The vessel, a multi-role stealth and guided-missile frigate, was received by the Namibian Navy, Namport, and officials from the High Commission of India (HCI). Having departed Lagos, Nigeria, after an eight-day voyage, INS Tushil docked in Namibia with a clear agenda: strengthening bilateral relations and enhancing maritime collaboration. The Commanding Officer of the vessel, Captain Peter Verghese, hosted a Namibian Naval delegation and the…

Moses Magadza The newly-elected President of the Southern African Development Community Parliamentary Forum (SADC PF), Justin Tokely from Madagascar, has laid out a transformative roadmap aimed at addressing pressing socio-economic challenges while strengthening regional democracy.  Tokely took over the presidency from Roger Mancienne of Seychelles at the 56 Plenary assembly held in Livingstone Zambia in December. In his first official communication to SADC PF Member Parliaments, partners and well-wishers since his election in December last year, Tokely - who is also the Speaker of the National Assembly of Madagascar - shared his vision for 2024-2026, spotlighting socio-economic revival, accountability, legal…

Erasmus Shalihaxwe Despite Shell’s recent announcement to write down US$400 million in PEL 39 from its operation in Namibia, other companies involved in the offshore oil discovery are moving forward with the project alongside the National Petroleum Corporation of Namibia (NAMCOR).  The oil, located in the Orange Basin, has been described as one of the world’s most promising oil and gas regions. Utaara Hoveka, a spokesperson for NAMCOR, confirmed over the weekend that post-well studies are being done by several joint venture (JV) partners, such as QatarEnergy (30%), Impact Oil and Gas Namibia (9.5%), and NAMCOR (10%).  These studies involve…

Martin Endjala A study conducted by Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) researchers raised concerns about unwarranted and possibly unlawful pretrial detentions by the Namibian Police.  The report, released on 16 January, indicated that the Windhoek Wanaheda, Katutura, and Otjomuise police stations for detaining citizens unlawfully. The study, conducted in 2022, was led by NUST’s principal investigator, Stefan Schulz, the deputy director of the department of social sciences under the faculty of commerce, human sciences, and education, along with five student research assistants.  The aim of the study was to determine the extent of unlawful detentions at the identified…

Pankratius Kondjamba  Energy continues to be a key driver for global economic growth. Energy sparked the first industrial revolution in the 1760s’ and continued to play a fundamental role in the subsequent revolutions. This era was marked by the invention of steam engines which made   use of water and the release of steam power leading to the rise of trains and mechanization of manufacturing. The availability of fuels like coal contributed to making the steam engine significant during this revolution period. The production of energy and its use contributes significantly to global warming. It is estimated to contribute about…

Stefanus Nashama The mayor of Windhoek, Ndeshihafela Laranja, has expressed satisfaction with the positive response from flood victims, who were recently relocated to new settlements in the city.  On Friday, during her first official visit to Goreangab, Laranja confirmed that the people who had to move are happy with the new site's layout and conditions. “At the relocation centre, the layout is well executed, and so far, the relocated residents are happy with the set-up,” Laranja stated. She said the municipality had been working diligently to ensure that flood victims were provided with improved living conditions. Laranja observed that the…

Martin Endjala The Livestock and Livestock Products Board of Namibia (LLPBN), formerly known as the Meat Board of Namibia, has announced an increase in stock brand fees. The announcement indicated that the new fees became effective on 8 January. A stock brand fee is paid to register a unique identifying brand mark used on livestock in Namibia.  This mark ensures that livestock can be traced back to their owner if found. The Stock Brands Act No. 24 of 1995 governs the fee and regulates livestock identification in the country.  It covers the cost of officially registering an owner's cattle brand.…

Allexer Namundjembo Advocate Raymond Heathcote’s remarks in the ongoing Veterinary Cordon Fence or ‘Red Line’ case in the Namibian High Court have drawn widespread criticism after he labelled Job Amupanda, leader of the Affirmative Repositioning (AR) movement, as a "danger to Namibia."  Heathcote, who is representing the state, made the comment during a tense cross-examination session. The Red Line is a boundary established during the apartheid era to separate Namibia’s communal farming areas in the northern parts of the country from commercial farming areas south of the fence. “Based on this kind of evidence and your irrational stance, Mr. Amupanda,…

Niël Terblanché The government has introduced the Marriage Act of 2024, a new piece of legislation that brings significant changes to the regulation of civil marriages in the country. Etienne Maritz, the executive director of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security, described the new law as a critical step in modernising Namibia’s marriage framework. Among the key provisions is a requirement for pre-approval from the Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security before couples can proceed with their marriage. This legislation, which replaces the Marriage Act of 1961, was signed into law by President Nangolo Mbumba…