National News

Stefanus Nashama Telecom Namibia clients have expressed dismay that the company has not been able to sort out technical issues that led to disruptions in data connection services. They say the company is only good at apologising but fails to fulfil its promises. As a client of the national telecommunications provider, lawmaker Inna Hengari, stated that a mere apology is insufficient to compensate for the missed week of work or entertainment. “Just like in school, when you have a submission to make and you miss the deadline, an apology does not cut it,” she stated. Hengari, a prepaid customer, finds…

Niël Terblanché President Nangolo Mbumba has called on the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) to ensure the electoral process in the run-up to the November elections adheres strictly to relevant laws, maintaining Namibia's tradition of transparent and fair elections. Despite previous challenges, such as the 2019 court case brought by IPC leader, Dr Panduleni Itula over electronic voting machines without a paper trail, the electoral process has been praised for its integrity and democratic principles. As Namibia prepares for the Presidential and National Assembly Elections in November, approximately 500 000 eligible voters have so far registered to vote. During a…

Martin Endjala The Zambezi region submitted a council submission resolution, signed by its chairperson, Matengu Simushi, to keep the region's constituency border as is but with the addition of the Bwabwata constituency. This will bring the region's number of constituencies to eight. “Furthermore, it is proposed that the Bwabwata constituency border start from the middle of the Kwando River to the middle of the Kavango River. This proposal entails a re-alignment to the Kongola Constituency,” reads the letter. In a letter titled “Submission Zambezi Regional Council Resolution on the Regional and Constituency Boundaries Delimitation dated 31 May, Shimushi claimed that…

Erasmus Shalihaxwe Veterans of the liberation struggle, represented by the Former Refugees Repatriation Association Namibia, have urged parliament to remove defence and veterans affairs minister Frans Kapofi and his deputy, Hilma Nikanor, from their positions. The group, led by Matheus Nangolo, addressed the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Constitutional and Legal Affairs last week, expressing their dissatisfaction with the duo. Nangolo claimed that Kapofi and Nikanor have failed to address the veterans' concerns since their appointments, leading to a worsening situation. ‘’Honourable Frans Kapofi and Hilma Nikanor should be removed from dealing with veterans’ issues, together with Mr Thaddeus Erago. He…

Martin Endjala In the event that a political party fails to lodge its audited accounts with the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN), the electoral body has no power to de-register such a party. According to Kadhila Amoomo, the lawyer representing the Namibia Economic Freedom Fighters (NEFF), the ECN unlawfully deregistered and cancelled the party’s registration certificate on Monday. “To deregister a political party before exercising these powers is not only premature, but it is unreasonable, unfair, and irrational to want compliance with the Electoral Act,” he argued. On 17 June, the ECN notified NEFF deputy leader Kalimbo Iipumbu about the…

Niël Terblanché The Swakopmund Regional Court postponed Jandre Dippenaar's sentencing procedure until the third week of August after finding him guilty on six counts of murder last week. Dippenaar also received a conviction on Thursday last week for reckless and negligent driving as well as for operating a vehicle without a valid driver's license. The charges stem from a car crash between a Ford Ranger and a Toyota FJ Cruiser near Henties Bay on 29 December 2014. The crash claimed the lives of German nationals Walter Helmut Joschko, Stephanie Dorothea Schemick Joschko, and Alexandra Marlene Joschko, who were passengers in…

Niél Terblanché In an encouraging gesture of community support, Capricorn Group employees, known as Changemakers, hosted a winter warmer event for elderly residents of the Katutura Old Age Home and the Khomasdal Old Age Home on Friday. The event saw the donation of winter items worth N$20,000, bringing much-needed warmth and comfort to the pensioners. Capricorn Group organized a company-wide appeal to collect the donated items, which included knee blankets, socks, gloves, beanies, scarves, and toiletries. The generous response from employees demonstrated the organisation's commitment to positively impacting the lives of vulnerable community members. “At Capricorn Group, we believe that…

Stefanus Nashama The Namibian Police Force in the Khomas region has urged Windhoek residents, especially those in informal settlements, to collaborate with the police and report crimes promptly. In recent weeks, community members have noticed an increase in crime in the Goreangab and Havana informal settlements. Chief Inspector Katrina Naukushu, head of community policing in Khomas, while speaking to the Windhoek Observer on Monday, appealed to the community to collaborate with the police in fighting crimes. “The police are part of the community, and the community is part of the police. We should all work together to fight crime,” she…

Erasmus Shalihaxwe The Khomas Regional Council has rescheduled the consultations on boundary delimitation and demarcation, originally scheduled for 13 and 14 June, to 27 June. Khomas Chief Regional Officer, Clement Mafwila announced on Monday that the meeting would be postponed to allow for further consultations with residents. He said that the regional leadership received a proposal that included input and recommendations from residents who participated in the initial consultations in various constituencies. According to Mafwila, the proposal included requests to expand, divide, and demarcate specific constituencies in order to enhance service delivery and access. “The expansion of the existing boundaries…

Erasmus Shalihaxwe Opposition party leaders have expressed disappointment that most Namibians don't mind a dominant-party system as long as elections are free and fair. This reaction follows an Afrobarometer study, which revealed that a majority of Namibians believe it does not matter if one political party always wins elections and continuously governs the country, provided the elections are free and fair. Joseph Kauandenge, the secretary general of the National Unity Democratic Organisation (NUDO), bemoaned the indoctrination that has led people to view a one-party state as innocuous. “I thought by now they had embraced democracy as a better system of…