National News

Renthia Kaimbi Walvis Bay mayor Johannes Shimbilinga last week led a delegation of councillors on a tour of the municipality’s Traffic and Fire Brigade departments. The visit aimed to give councillors a clearer view of the daily work and challenges faced by essential service providers responsible for public safety and emergency response in the town. Councillors received guided tours of both departments and observed operations firsthand. The visits focused on service readiness ahead of the busy festive season. At the traffic department, acting chief traffic officer Clifton Jacobs outlined key operational challenges. These include limited resources and rising service demands. …

Renthia Kaimbi The Namibian Ports Authority (Namport) closed its operational year with two events over the weekend that reflected its focus on port operations and community support.  The activities took place in Lüderitz and Henties Bay. On Friday evening, Namport hosted its annual port users and stakeholders dinner at the port of Lüderitz.  Held under the theme “Collaborate to Elevate”, the event recognised the role of clients and service providers in the port’s performance and growth.  Senior Namport management and officials attended and engaged with members of the port community. The dinner featured an awards ceremony that recognised clients based…

Renthia Kaimbi Mobile Telecommunications Company (MTC) has announced partnerships with two summer events along the coast.  The company will serve as the official transport partner for the Savanna Sound of Summer Festival and as a headline sponsor of the Camp Out Dune Fest. MTC’s first partnership marks the 10th anniversary of the Savanna Sound of Summer Festival.  Eight MTC-branded buses, each with 65 seats, will run daily between Swakopmund, Walvis Bay and the Long Beach festival grounds.  The buses will operate in two shifts, from 10h00 to 16h00 and from 22h00 to 02h00. The shuttle service is expected to transport…

Renthia Kaimbi Over 900 visas were issued to people who attended Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) events in Namibia. The visas have been issued since June, generating N$1.5 million in revenue to date. This comes as Namibia moves to position itself in the global business events market with the launch of the Namibia Convention Bureau (NCB). Chief immigration officer Tulimeke Munyika said the issuance of MICE visas reflects growing inbound business travel.  Minister of Environment, Forestry and Tourism Indileni Daniel on Tuesday launched the NCB and its website.  She described the move as a step aimed at diversifying the…

Chamwe Kaira The government has welcomed the approval of its Country Strategy Paper for the period 2025 to 2030 by the board of directors of the African Development Bank Group, which opens an investment approval window of US$1.78 billion (approximately N$33.8 billion) for Namibia. The country strategy paper sets out Namibia’s five-year framework of engagement with the AfDB.  It outlines priority areas to support the national development agenda through grants, concessional and market-based loans and technical assistance.  Under the framework, Namibia will submit priority projects for financing over the five-year period. The strategy is built around two main pillars: infrastructure…

Justicia Shipena The High Court has cancelled a petroleum retail fuel licence for Kamanjab after finding that the minister of mines and energy failed to follow the law and did not give reasons for key decisions. High Court judge Tommasi Masuku ruled recently that a petroleum retail fuel license issued in 2012 to T&A Group Holdings and Investment CC was unlawful and invalid after multiple legal breaches.  The court held that the licence violated the Petroleum Products and Energy Act and its regulations, as well as the Environmental Management Act. The case was brought by Mattys Johannes du Plessis and…

Allexer Namundjembo Renewed calls for the former Caprivi Region to break away from Namibia reflect the revival of an old issue that was never fully addressed through sustained and inclusive dialogue, political analyst Ndumba Kamwanyah says. Kamwanyah made the remarks as demonstrations linked to the United Democratic Party’s (UDP) secession agenda, alongside counter-protests by residents, continued in Katima Mulilo. Similar demands surfaced in the late 1990s and were firmly rejected by the government.  “Similar demands were made in the late 1990s and were firmly rejected by the state,” Kamwanyah said.  The Constitution defines Namibia as a unitary, sovereign and indivisible…

Renthia Kaimbi Cholera cases in Grootfontein have more than tripled in three weeks as suspected infections rise to 50. The outbreak was first flagged on 18 November with one suspected case.  By 24 November, health authorities were investigating six cases, three of which were confirmed by the Namibia Institute of Pathology (NIP). As of yesterday, the Ministry of Health and Social Services is tracking 50 suspected cases in the Grootfontein district.  Laboratory testing by the NIP has confirmed 10 positive cases. Twenty-eight suspected cases tested negative.  Four samples have not yet been tested, one result is pending, and two patients…

Allexer Namundjembo The Home-Schooling Association of Namibia (HSAN) says it has never presented itself as a regulatory body or a registering or approving authority. It also says it does not act as an oversight or inspection body, nor is it a school or private education institution. Responding to questions sent by the Windhoek Observer on Monday, HSAN said it has also never presented itself as a substitute for the Ministry of Education or as a school in any way, type or form. “The media release correctly states that only the Ministry has the legal mandate to regulate, approve, and oversee…

Justicia Shipena  Local authorities and state-owned enterprises (SOEs) owe NamPower N$557 million after failing to meet repayment arrangements.  The Electricity Control Board (ECB) disclosed the figures following its board meeting on 9 December 2025.  The Mariental municipality owes the largest amount at N$233.29 million.  Meanwhile, Gobabis Municipality owes N$70.2 million, followed by Karasburg Municipality with N$59 million, Aranos Town Council with N$58 million, Maltahöhe Village Council with N$34 million, Gibeon Village Council with N$24 million and Bethanie Village Council with N$21 million. Local authorities on bulk prepayment arrangements owe a further N$210 million.  Rehoboth Town Council, which has been on…