National News

Niël Terblanché In a move towards enhancing bilateral relations, Namibia and Zimbabwe have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to bolster cooperation in both the judicial and correctional service sectors. The agreements, signed earlier this month, stress the commitment of both nations to improve service delivery and uphold the rule of law. A week ago, Chief Justice Peter Shivute of Namibia and Chief Justice Luke Malaba of Zimbabwe formalised the judicial MoU, which aims to facilitate extensive collaboration between the two countries' judicial systems. This week, a separate MoU was signed between the Namibian Correctional Service (NCS) and the Zimbabwe…

Niël Terblanché The Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) is gearing up to register more than 1.7 million eligible voters during its General Registration of Voters exercise, set to commence next week. This extensive registration effort is an exercise that is conducted every ten years and is aimed at ensuring that the electoral roll is up-to-date for the upcoming elections. The ECN's Director of Operations, Zenia Klazen, said that the commission undertook regional council consultations throughout 2022 and 2023 as part of the establishment of registration systems and polling venues. Klazen, however, expressed disappointment, noting that only three out of fourteen…

Stefanus Nashama The Mineworkers Union of Namibia (MUN) expects the Occupational Safety and Health Bill to include stringent measures to address various health and safety issues that will protect employees of mining companies. George Ampweya, the MUN Secretary-General on Tuesday said that, although they are still acquainting themselves with the bill, they expect it to prioritise the safety and health of the employees. “We are still reviewing the bill to make sure that it reflects the interests of the employees and addresses the real issues they face in the workplace every day,” he said. Ampweya’s comment comes after the Ministry…

Niël Terblanché Crowds of people have flocked to the beaches in and around Swakopmund to collect large quantities of dead fish and crustaceans that washed ashore overnight. According to Uaripi Katjiukua, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources, scientists employed by the ministry said that this phenomenon is attributed to a significant upwelling of an algal bloom, commonly known as a red tide. She said that the ministry’s scientists explained that the algal bloom emerged during the recent calm sea conditions, which were influenced by the east wind weather patterns experienced along the Namibian coast over the…

Stefanus Nashama The City of Windhoek was unable to locate the family of one of the nation's heroes, Jacob Marenga, better known as Jakob Marengo, to honour him during the recent street renaming and naming ceremony. In Otjiherero, "Marenga" means "kings." Seventeen streets were renamed, and others were named after notable individuals, including Marengo. Relatives and friends of those named after the street delivered mini-eulogies on their behalf. When it was Marengo’s time, no one was present to talk about him. The City of Windhoek's spokesperson, Harold Akwenye, confirmed Marengo's lack of representation. “Despite considerable efforts, we were unable to…

Niël Terblanché The body of Edison Sidney Geiseb, a 34-year-old man who drowned at Independence Beach on 18 May 2024, was recovered by divers from the Namibian Navy after an extensive search lasting 12 days. Geiseb went missing one afternoon in the middle of May while swimming with his 23-year-old girlfriend and another 27-year-old friend. His disappearance under the waves at the popular beach in Walvis Bay prompted a significant search effort along the coast. Chief Inspector Illeni Shapumba, head of the Namibian Police’s community affairs division in the Erongo Region, reported that Geiseb’s body was discovered on Wednesday by…

Moses Magadza The Republic of Angola through its National Assembly on Wednesday convened a workshop to review the country's HIV and AIDS law which was enacted in 2004. The workshop is part of ongoing efforts by the National Assembly of Angola to ensure that laws are fit for purpose and serve all citizens without discrimination. Law no. 8/04, of 1 November, also known as the Law on the Human Immunodeficiency Virus - HIV and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome – AIDS, sought to protect the integrity and health of people living with HIV, control and prevent HIV and AIDS as well as…

Niël Terblanché Windhoek is set to become the epicentre of the African hospitality industry as it welcomes more than 300 investors, business leaders, government officials, and expert advisors for the Africa Hospitality Investment Forum (AHIF) 2024. The event, which will be held from 25 to 27 June, marks the first time AHIF is hosted in southern Africa, following Namibia’s successful bid facilitated by the Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB). The NIPDB, serving as the host partner, has already secured N$1 million in corporate sponsorship, underscoring the significance of this event. Sven Thieme, the executive chairman and managing director…

Niël Terblanché In a gesture of community support, prospective uranium miner Headspring Investment, a subsidiary of the Uranium One Group, has constructed a state-of-the-art kitchen at Noasanabis Primary School in Leonardville. This facility, developed under Headspring’s corporate social responsibility programme, aims to provide daily meals to more than 600 learners who attend the school every day. Pijoo Nganate, the Omaheke Regional Governor, lauded the project, noting the importance of stakeholders in local development. "Uranium One has done tremendous work in assisting the local school with this much-needed kitchen project," Nganate said. Headspring’s Executive Director, Kirill Egorov-Kirillov, emphasised the company's commitment…

Erasmus Shalihaxwe Vice President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has called on young people to participate in the agricultural sector and contribute to the overall economic transformation. She said this on Wednesday at the Omaludi Agricultural Festival, which is underway in Okongo, in the Ohangwena Region. Nandi-Ndaitwah, who is also the festival patron, said it is highly encouraging that, of late, more young people are interested in agriculture, as opposed to the past, when agriculture was seen as dirty work reserved for the elderly and the uneducated. “Agriculture will remain one of the important sectors of our economy, especially when more than 80…