National News

Patience Makwele  Private colleges are stepping in as many young Namibians struggle to access tertiary education and find work, with institutions like International Training College Lingua offering skills-based training to bridge the gap. As youth unemployment remains high and public institutions cannot absorb growing demand, many school leavers are left without clear pathways into jobs. Some have qualifications but lack practical skills needed in the workplace. Amid this gap, International Training College Lingua has positioned itself as an alternative route. What started as informal lessons in a one-bedroom apartment has grown into an accredited institution that has trained more than…

Allexer Namundjembo Former swapo member Reinhold Shipwikineni has issued an apology to Swapo, its leadership and members.  The apology follows a High Court judgement delivered in Windhoek on March 20, which dismissed an application by Shipwikineni and four others. The group had challenged the party’s decision not to hold an extraordinary congress within three months after a leadership vacancy following the death of President Hage Geingob. The court ruled the matter had become moot, as the congress had already taken place and the vacancy had been filled.  “The relief sought by the applicants has since become moot,” the judgement reads.…

Patience Makwele  The Mineworkers Union of Namibia (MUN) has called for a parliamentary probe into the country’s diamond cutting and polishing industry. MUN submitted a petition to the National Assembly this week.  The union said the industry faces reduced production, scaled-down operations and growing uncertainty among workers. “The current trajectory of the sector is unsustainable and requires immediate intervention to prevent further job losses,” the union said. The union said hundreds of jobs are at risk if no action is taken.  It urged parliament to investigate the challenges affecting the sector, which has been central to Namibia’s plan to add…

Allexer Namundjembo  The office of the speaker of the National Assembly has rejected claims that the speaker frustrates members of parliament.  Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila’s office said all actions in the chamber follow established rules and that the speaker’s conduct is guided by parliamentary procedures.  “The office stated that the speaker is always governed by the standing rules, orders, and internal arrangements of the National Assembly, rather than by personal discretion or preference,” in response to questions by the Windhoek Observer on Wednesday.  It said rule 90 protects members’ right to speak without interruption, and any intervention by the Speaker is meant…

Allexer Namundjembo Namibia must move faster to prepare for artificial intelligence as the technology reshapes economies and public services, speakers said at a public lecture in Windhoek. AI specialist Chandan Chauhan addressed the event hosted by the Economic Association of Namibia (EAN) in partnership with the Hans Seidel Foundation. He said AI has moved beyond simple tools to systems that can reason and perform tasks.  It has evolved from generating content to handling text, images and video and is now entering a phase where systems can plan and act on their own. “AI is moving from answering questions to doing…

Renthia Kaimbi  India has inaugurated an advanced networking laboratory at the School of Signals at Osona Military Base to support training for the Namibian Defence Force (NDF). The facility was opened on Monday by deputy minister of defence and veteran affairs Charles Mubita.  The event was attended by the deputy minister of international relations and trade Jenelly Matundu, the chief of the Namibian Defence Force Air Marshal Martin Pinehas, and India’s high commissioner to Namibia Rahul Shrivastava. The government of India funded the laboratory through its defence diplomacy fund projects, with the goal of enhancing skills and training for defence…

Renthia Kaimbi More than 4 500 Walvis Bay residents have signed a petition calling for urgent municipal reform, raising concerns over sanitation, infrastructure and service delivery. The petition, titled “Demand urgent municipal reform in Walvis Bay,” has been submitted to the municipality and outlines what residents describe as ongoing failures that are affecting daily life. Signatories say poor sanitation in informal settlements has led to open defecation due to a lack of toilets.  “Every day as I drive out of Walvis Bay, I witness the heartbreaking sight of grown men and women resorting to relieving themselves by the roadside,” the…

Renthia Kaimbi The Hope Farm Project will expand to other regions after completing its first year in the Erongo Region. The project, launched on 26 July 2025, is a partnership between the Swakop Uranium Foundation, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform, the Erongo Regional Council and local cooperatives. It started with the donation of 630 goats and sheep to 30 beneficiaries.  By January 2026, the project had placed 1 008 animals with cooperatives, with the total herd growing to 1 248 animals. Officials said the growth reflects the work of participating farmers and the use of a…