National News

Justicia Shipena President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has called on members of the diplomatic corps to deepen cooperation with Namibia and strengthen bilateral and multilateral partnerships this year. She made the remarks during her New Year’s address to the diplomatic corps at State House on Tuesday. “I encourage you to continue working closely with us to deepen our bilateral and multilateral partnerships, to explore new opportunities for trade and investment, and to further nurture people-to-people relations that bind our nations together in friendship and shared purpose,” Nandi-Ndaitwah said. She said Namibia enters 2026 with a clear foreign policy direction based on respect…

Renthia Kaimbi Ten years ago, Cool Cats Namibia started as a simple Facebook page sharing photos of shelter cats in the hope that someone would adopt them. Founder Barbara Wayrauch said the page began with no office, no staff and no budget. “Many cats found loving forever homes through Cool Cats because suddenly, people could see and fall in love with them online,” Wayrauch told Observer Coastal. “At that time, almost no rescue or adoption organisation in Namibia was using social media. Today most do.” As more people shared posts, cats that had waited months for homes began to be…

Renthia Kaimbi Nearly N$900 000 worth of narcotics were seized in three separate police operations carried out in Walvis Bay over four days. The first operation took place on Saturday afternoon after police received information that drugs were buried in the yard of a house on Theo Ben Gurirab Street.  The property was believed to be used as a base by a suspected dealer. When officers arrived, they found a 30-year-old man digging in the yard. Police said the suspect dropped two small ziplock bags of crack cocaine when he saw them.  A body search led to the discovery of…

Renthia Kaimbi A 20-year-old woman and her two-year-old niece died in a shack fire in the Tutaleni informal settlement in Walvis Bay early Wednesday morning. The fire broke out around 03h00 in Kilimanjaro Street in Kuisebmond. Beauty Guidao-oas and Gloria Guibes were inside the shack when it caught fire. According to the Namibian Police in the Erongo Region, neighbours woke up to the sound of screaming from a nearby structure. When they went outside, they found a shack already on fire with someone trapped inside. Residents tried to break through the hardboard walls to rescue the victims. The flames were…

Renthia Kaimbi Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) president Panduleni Itula has called on Parliament to consider a vote of no confidence against President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah. He made the call at a press conference held in Windhoek yesterday. The demand follows the tabling of the Petroleum (Exploration and Production) Amendment Bill of 2025, which proposes shifting control of Namibia’s upstream oil sector to the Presidency. “Given the numerous nature in which our inaugurated president continues to conduct herself, it’s perhaps time that parliament considers a vote of no confidence in Her Excellency Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah,” Itula said. The bill seeks to transfer…

Justicia Shipena The government needs an estimated N$1.5 billion to protect Namibia’s livestock sector from foot-and-mouth disease (FMD). Minister of agriculture, fisheries, water and land reform Inge Zaamwani said the amount is required in addition to the N$57.5 million already approved by Cabinet.  She said the funding is needed to protect a livestock sector valued at about N$15 billion and to safeguard Namibia’s access to export markets. “Preliminary estimates indicate that an investment of approximately N$1.5 billion will be required over and above the already approved N$57 million in order to adequately protect a livestock sector valued at N$15 billion…

Justicia Shipena The High Court on Tuesday ruled that prominent lawyer and former Mobile Telecommunications Company (MTC) board chairperson Dirk Conradie attempted to divert the awarding of an advertising tender away from the highest-rated bidder. High Court judge Thomas Masuku said evidence indicated that the MTC board meeting held in Lisbon, Portugal, was convened for one purpose only: to award the advertising contract to the bidder that had emerged top after the evaluation process. The court found that the evaluation had already been completed.  The meeting agenda, according to Masuku, confirmed the board's expectation to award the contract based on…

Justicia Shipena There is nothing wrong with a toast during formal diplomatic engagements between a president and foreign envoys, international relations analyst Marius Kudumo has said. This comes as, on Tuesday in the National Assembly, Affirmative Repositioning (AR) leader and member of parliament Job Amupanda questioned whether it was appropriate for the president to be seen drinking alcohol during official duties. On Monday, ambassadors from various countries presented their letters of credence to President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah at State House. A ceremonial toast followed, but the contents in the glass were not confirmed as alcoholic or non-alcoholic. “It is not fair…

Renthia Kaimbi Degazetted Dâuredaman chief Zacharias Seibeb has approached the High Court to challenge his removal as the leader of the Dâure Daman Traditional Authority. Seibeb was dethroned in November last year through a decision carried out by President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah under Section 8(4) of the Traditional Authorities Act. Seibeb is seeking a judicial review to set aside the decision taken by the President and the minister of urban and rural development, James Sankwasa.  He also wants to be re-gazetted and recognised as chief in all official records. “I am the duly recognised traditional chief of the Dâuredaman Traditional Authority,"…