National News

Justicia Shipena  Modern couples are increasingly drawn to the spectacle of weddings rather than the substance of marriage, leaving many unprepared for the realities of married life, says relationship mechanic Ngamane Karuaihe-Upi. Karuaihe-Upi said people marry for many reasons beyond religion and that pretending otherwise distorts the conversation around divorce.  “Not everyone gets married because God said so. People get married because they are lonely, because of desire, because culture says so, or because of pressure linked to age," he told the Windhoek Observer on Monday.  “People get drunk on the excitement of looking good and being celebrated,” he said.…

Justicia Shipena  “Why am I not legally represented as a former minister of state? What I would like to know, and this needs to be recorded, is why the state has money to give to prosecutors but not to us?” These were the questions raised by former justice minister and fishrot accused Sacky Shanghala on Monday in the Windhoek High Court as the fishrot matter came before court for a hearing on the commencement of the trial. Shanghala told the court that there was unequal treatment between the prosecution and the accused, saying funds were available for state prosecutors while…

Allexer Namundjembo Construction of a school hall at Omuthiya Iipundi Senior Secondary School in Omuthiya, Oshikoto region, remains incomplete more than seven years after the project was first introduced. The project, which formally began in 2020, was meant to provide the school with a hall for assemblies, meetings and other activities.  To date, only the foundation has been laid. Former learners say pupils were required to contribute financially towards the construction, despite the project still standing unfinished years later. “We contributed towards the construction of the hall. We thought it would have been completed by now, especially since the school…

Renthia Kaimbi The Swakopmund municipality has approved the donation of 165 residential erven to listed beneficiaries in the DRC extensions 27, 29 and 30. The decision was ratified at a council meeting on 24 November 2025 and forms part of the municipality’s efforts to secure property rights for residents. The approval follows an earlier process in April 2023, when 805 ownership certificates were handed over to DRC residents.  That handover gave residents legal recognition of their properties, allowing them to open municipal utility accounts and build permanent structures.  It also placed an obligation on owners to pay municipal rates and…

Renthia Kaimbi Tensions have reportedly emerged within the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) over the use of the title “leader of the official opposition”. The disagreement is between party president Panduleni Itula and IPC’s parliamentary leader Immanuel Nashinge.  Sources told the Windhoek Observer that Itula allegedly warned Nashinge in December 2025 against responding to the title outside parliament.  Itula is also said to have insisted that all state invitations meant for the opposition leader be forwarded directly to him. Nashinge dismissed the allegations as a “boring joke” and said the IPC’s leadership structure is clear. “(The) leader of the official…

Allexer Namundjembo Sign language interpretation services in Namibia remain inadequate despite recent progress, the National Association of Deaf Adults (NNAD) has said. Responding to questions on the status of sign language integration last week, NNAD said initiatives such as the Namibian Sign Language App (NAMSLAP) have improved access, especially in schools.  It said many deaf Namibians still face barriers when accessing public services. “The landscape of sign language interpretation in Namibia presents both progress and persistent challenges,” the association said, noting that NAMSLAP was rolled out with support from the UN Democracy Fund and the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS). NNAD…

Staff Writer The Ministry of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sports, Arts and Culture says admission into a tertiary institution does not automatically guarantee government funding.  Education minister Sanet Steenkamp on Friday clarified how the subsidised tertiary funding model will apply for the 2026 academic year. Steenkamp said funding decisions under the subsidised tertiary funding model will continue to follow the existing eligibility rules used by the Namibia Student Financial Assistance Fund (NSFAF), despite the expansion of subsidised education. “Being admitted into a tertiary institution does not automatically guarantee funding, but funding decisions will be guided by the existing, transparent requirements,” Steenkamp…

Renthia Kaimbi Kwaito artist Lazarus "Gazza" Shiimi has ended a brief venture related to the international defence sector and is now refocusing on music and local business projects in Namibia. Shiimi said the separation from a UAE-based manufacturer of armoured vehicles and security equipment was amicable and followed limited support from local stakeholders.  He said the decision allows him to focus on areas where he can have a direct impact on youth development and economic growth at home. “When an opportunity arises that could potentially build skills and industry for our people, I believe in exploring it fully. The aim…