National News

Niël Terblanché The Ministry of Agriculture, Water, and Land Reform has issued a public notification regarding an outbreak of Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) in the Otjituuo and Okamatapati areas of the Okakarara State Veterinary District, Otjozondjupa Region. Dr Johannes Shoopala, Acting Chief Veterinary Officer, at the ministry, said in the notification that eight cattle from various villages have been affected by this vector-borne disease. Lumpy Skin Disease is an infectious and occasionally fatal disease of cattle, characterized by nodules on the skin and other parts of the body. It is typically transmitted through insect bites. Farmers in the affected areas…

Niël Terblanché During a recent meeting of the Namibia Agricultural Union's (NAU) Executive Council in Windhoek, key discussions revolved around the complexities of trade agreements signed by Namibia over the past two years. The council underscored the critical importance of these agreements in shaping the journey of products to consumers' tables, often involving intricate processes. Anton Faul, Senior Trade Advisor at the Agricultural Trade Forum, said during a presentation that the reciprocal nature of trade, which benefits both exporting and importing nations is very important. “Achieving a balance between these interests is essential and typically involves negotiations conducted behind closed…

Erasmus Shalihaxwe Prominent lawyer Sisa Namandje said the case in which Friedel Dausab, challenged the two colonial-era laws that criminalized same-sex acts between men should have been dismissed. Namandje made these remarks on Saturday during a public lecture under the theme ‘Can there be a Constitutional Court-made law or principle having no roots in the language and scheme of the Namibian Constitution? A critical look at the recent judgment of the High Court of Namibia on the crime of sodomy.’ “The High Court’s undue emphasis on the question of rationality and its dismissive approach on the societal majority views and…

Erasmus Shalihaxwe The Minister of Trade and Industrialisation, Lucia Iipumbu has advised Namibian intellectual property holders to voluntarily register for copyright, as this can be used as collateral to secure loans or engage with direct foreign investors. Iipumbu shared this advice on Wednesday while presenting the Kampala Protocol on the voluntary registration of copyright and related rights in the National Assembly. She emphasized that voluntary registration of copyright and related rights reassures the business community and opens doors for rights holders, enabling effective coordination among copyright offices, collective management organizations, rights holders, and users worldwide. "The voluntary registration of Copyright…

Stefanus Nashama Following the retraction of the electricity tariff increase by the Electricity Control Board (ECB), the planned protest against the electricity hike has been postponed until further notice. The protest organiser, social activist Michael Amushelelo, confirmed this with the Windhoek Observer on Thursday. “This will give us enough time to organise the biggest protest for the removal of the regional electricity distributors and for the ECB to be a department in the Ministry of Mines and Energy. This is to ensure only Nampower will be supplying electricity, and the ministry revises the tariff like what it did this fuel…

Erasmus Shalihaxwe The Divorce Bill should make it mandatory for divorcing couples to undergo psychodynamic therapy. This is according to a Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) member of parliament, Winnie Moongo. During the debate in the National Assembly this week, Moongo explained that therapy can provide divorced individuals with the tools they need to process their experiences and emotions constructively. “Therapy can help individuals deal with overwhelming feelings of sadness or helplessness, persistent anxiety and difficulty facing everyday challenges. Therefore, by addressing these issues, individuals can improve their mental health and well-being, making them better prepared for future relationships,” she said.…

Niël Terblanché Namibia and China celebrated their enduring friendship with the unveiling of a memorial statue of Chairman Mao Zedong in Windhoek on Wednesday. The statue is at the Mao Zedong High School in Otjomuise, named after the founder of the People's Republic of China, and stands as a symbol of the long-standing support and cooperation between the two nations, dating back to Namibia's liberation struggle. During the ceremony, Namibia's ambassador to China, Elia Kaiyamo, stressed the historical and diplomatic significance of the occasion. The school, constructed in 2016 with funding from the People's Republic of China, now serves more…

Niël Terblanché The sixth session of the Children’s Parliament, scheduled to sit from 12 to 19 July, is set to tackle pressing educational challenges in Namibia. Established 17 years ago, the Children’s Parliament provides a platform for young Namibians to engage in the democratic process, allowing them to understand the legislative process, voice their concerns, and propose changes to legislation that impact their welfare. This initiative, rooted in the Namibian Constitution’s principles of freedom of expression and fundamental human rights, is a collaboration between the Namibian Parliament and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). Over 60 learners from Namibia’s 14…

Martin Endjala and Ester Mbathera A political science graduate believes that the decision to deregister the Namibia Economic Freedom Fighters (NEFF) and two other political parties should have included input from the voters who elected them. Lucia Sibanga, who is currently pursuing a master's degree in political science at Unam, said Section 136(1) of the Electoral Act stipulates that an application for registration as a political party requires at least 3,500 signatures from across Namibia. These signatures represent the voters who participated in the party's registration, whom she says deserve a say in its fate. “Excluding these voters from the…