National News – Page 208 – Windhoek Observer

06 Dec

Home Affairs issues 21,970 work visas

ObserverNational News970 work visas, Home Affairs issues 21

Stefanus Nashama The Minister of Home Affairs, Immigration Safety, and Security, Dr Albert Kawana, has revealed that the Ministry has issued and processed 42,890 passports of all categories and 23,970 visas in 2023. Kawana said these figures were recorded between April and November this year, and he was speaking at the last official address of the ministry’s staff members this week in Windhoek. According to Kawana, out of the total number, 41,991 were ordinary passports, 215 diplomatic passports, 452 official passports, 226 refugee passports, and 6 travel documents, bringing the total to 42,890 passports issued. He attributed this achievement to…

06 Dec

Higher death rate in men compared to women

ObserverNational NewsHigher death rate in men compared to women

Martin Endjala A report by the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA) indicates that 55 percent of deaths were recorded among men, compared to 45 percent of deaths recorded among women. The Mortality and Causes of Deaths 2018-2021 second series report was launched yesterday in Windhoek, containing data collected from the Civil Registration and Vital Statistics. The deaths are attributed to one of the ten leading causes of death in 2021, which include COVID-19 and self-inflicted injuries, such as suicides. According to the report, injuries and external causes increased from 4.4 percent in 2018 to 6.9 percent in 2022 and then decreased…

06 Dec

LPM to host Policy Conference

ObserverNational News

Stefanus Nashama For the very first time, the Landless People’s Movement (LPM) is expected to gather for its two-day policy conference this week to discuss strategies concerning policy development and analysis at the national and local government levels within the party. LPM National Spokesperson, Lifalaza Simataa, announced this in a statement earlier this week. According to Simataa, the conference is set to take place between 7 and 8 December 2023, in Windhoek. “The conference will have a program line-up of experts and leaders within various fields, who will give presentations and express their views on how to advance the country…

06 Dec

Urgent need for tangible climate action

ObserverNational News

Niël Terblanché Namibia, like many other developing countries, is disproportionately affected by the impacts of climate change despite contributing the least to the cause thereof. “The urgency of the world’s response to the phenomenon cannot be overstated. Our responsibility as leaders is clear – to safeguard our planet, preserve biodiversity, and ensure the well-being of our people. We must acknowledge the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities,” President Hage Geingob said while delivering an address at the summit of leaders of the G77 and China. The G77 and China summit occurred during the COP 28 conference in…

06 Dec

Teenager commits suicide

ObserverNational NewsTeenager commits suicide

Hertta-Maria Amutenja Rehoboth was the site of a tragic event on Monday, when a 12-year-old boy, Jean Romeo Möwes, committed suicide by hanging himself with a gown rope. According to the Spokesperson of the Namibian Police, Deputy Commissioner Kauna Shiwkambi, his grandmother discovered his body in the toilet, hanging from a gown belt attached to the burglar bar of the window. Despite efforts to resuscitate him, emergency personnel declared him dead at the scene. “The locked door was kicked open and efforts were made to resuscitate him, but he was declared dead by the emergency personnel,” she said. She added…

05 Dec

“I don’t hate Chinese and Indians “ – Mukwiilongo

ObserverNational News

Stefanus Nashama In response to people who say he hates Chinese and Indian nationals, the Leader of the Namibia Economic Freedom Fighters (NEFF), Epafras Mukwiilongo, denied the accusations and that he does not have personal issues with their businesses. Mukwiilongo said this in an interview with Windhoek Observer yesterday. According to him, the only thing he hates about Chinese and Indian businesspeople is the labour hiring system they are using to pay Namibians slave wages. He highlighted that it is a sad truth that Chinese and Indian businessmen men and women are paying Namibian peanuts in an independent Namibia while…

05 Dec

GRN should create basic income grant for unemployed – Mbangu

ObserverNational NewsGRN should create basic income grant for unemployed - Mbangu

Martin Endjala Namibia’s poverty levels are said to have reached alarming proportions and it is reported to be on the increase. In 2021, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) survey found that about 60 percent of Namibians are either multi-dimensionally poor or vulnerable to multi-dimensional poverty. “It is high time that the government created a universal basic income for unemployed Namibians to avert poverty and to provide social protection in the country.” These are the words of National Council member of Parliament Paulus Mbangu, in a telephonic conversation with this publication yesterday. His call for a basic income grant for…

05 Dec

NSA loses 30 enumeration tablets out of 13 000

ObserverNational NewsNSA loses 30 enumeration tablets out of 13 000

Martin Endjala The Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA) has revealed that out of the 13,000 tablets issued to enumerators during Census 2023 counting period, 30 were reported lost. NSA spokesperson, Iipumbu Sakaria said this while responding to questions during a press engagement to unpack challenges the agency faced during the counting process. He explained that before enumerators are issued with the tablets, they are signed off and a report is to be accompanied when it is returned, and based on the report is what will determine the cue of action to be taken against such an individual should it be found…

05 Dec

“Amupanda is no longer a youth. He must man up”, says Amunime

ObserverNational Newssays Amunime, “Amupanda is no longer a youth. He must man up”

Stefanus Nashama Former National Spokesperson of the Affirmative Repositioning (AR) Movement, Simon Amunime, said he is not interested in any fight with the movement’s leader, Job Amupanda. This follows after Amupanda yesterday took to social media accusing Amunime of running a fake Facebook account bearing the AR name while he is no longer part of the movement. “Dear activist and general members of the public. It has come to our attention that there is a boorish individual by the name of Simon Kanepolo Amunime who is suffering from dementia. He is the one running this fake AR Page and posting…

05 Dec

Road infrastructure development is hindered by a myriad of challenges in the Kunene Region

ObserverNational NewsRoad infrastructure development is hindered by a myriad of challenges in the Kunene Region

Hertta-Maria Amutenja Kunene Region is grappling with a multitude of challenges hindering the development of its road infrastructure. This is according to a recent report by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure, and Housing after an oversight visit to the road infrastructure of the region. The report sheds light on the complex issues impeding progress in this crucial sector. One of the primary challenges highlighted by the regional leadership is the uneven distribution of the road infrastructure network. The vastness and sparse population of the region have led to a concentration of roads in the eastern and south-eastern. “The…