Observer Money – Page 156 – Windhoek Observer

27 Nov

Increase in COVID-19 cases worries health ministry

ObserverObserver MoneyKalumbi Shangula, Minister of Health and Social Services (MoHSS)

Clifton Movirongo The Ministry of Health said it is worried about a resurgence of COVID-19 cases after the country recorded its highest number on Thursday, 26 November in months, with 149 new positive cases recorded in Namibia. This comes on the day after the local and regional elections where voters stood in long lines with no social distancing. The Khomas region according to Ministry of Health figures, recorded the highest number with 105 cases recorded in Windhoek out of 149 cases from 1,327 results received from the testing laboratories countrywide. Last week, the Minister of Health and Social Services (MoHSS),…

27 Nov

Coalitions only hope – Venaani

ObserverObserver MoneyMcHenry Venaani, PDM, SWAPO

Andrew Kathindi Official opposition party leader, McHenry Venaani says divisions among parties has costed them in some areas and going forward a coalition provides the only hope to beat Swapo in future elections. This comes as Swapo candidates have managed to narrowly edge out the opposition parties in some parts of the country, while losing strongholds in other areas, as results continue to trickle in. “That whole thing really polarized the whole election, to the point where the opposition would have garnered a combined majority,” the Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) leader told Windhoek Observer. “We knew that the election was…

24 Nov

SADC lawmakers seek deeper understanding of corruption

ObserverObserver MoneyMPs, SADC Parliamentary Forum

Moses Magadza WINDHOEK – Members of Parliament who belong to the Standing Committee on Democratisation, Governance and Human Rights of the SADC Parliamentary Forum are boosting their understanding of corruption as they seek to eradicate the scourge. The lawmakers last week invited Mr. Titus Gwemende, Southern Africa Regional Lead on Natural Resources at Oxfam International, to throw light on the various forms of corruption within the SADC Region as well as what is driving it, when their Committee met virtually. Gwemende outlined four different dimensions of corruption with different impacts on a country’s economy: petty theft, grand theft, speed money…

24 Nov

Tourism sector crisis deepens as international arrivals dry up

ObserverObserver MoneyCovid-19, Digu //Naobeb, Namibia Tourism Board, South Africa

Helena Johannes Namibia Tourism Board Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Digu Naobeb, has revealed that income flow from the tourism sector is still very weak regardless of the opening of boarders and relaxed COVID-19 measures. “The fact that the country has not seen much uptake by international travelers for holiday purposes is mainly driven by the fact that Namibia’s main source markets are going through a second wave after the borders were opened,” Naobeb said. “Namibia will surely, for now, rely on domestic and regional tourism from our neighboring countries, particularly South Africa, who opened its borders, and Botswana is also…

24 Nov

Date set for NUST VC challenge

ObserverObserver MoneyNamibia University of Science and Technology (NUST), Vice-Chancellor

Helena Johannes The High Court is set to hear the case challenging the appointment of Dr Erold Naomab as the newly appointed Vice-Chancellor of Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) on the 4th of December, Lawyer Sisa Namandje has revealed. This comes after the case was filed in the High Court on Friday, 20 November, 2020. “Accordingly the matter has been set down at 09h00 on 4 December 2020, whether or not any of the respondents have filed a notice to oppose,” said a notice of motion filed by Namandje. The respondents are the Chairperson of the Council of…

24 Nov

Police concludes shooting investigation in Botswana

ObserverObserver MoneyBotswana, Namibian Police, Nampol Inspector General, Sebastian Ndeitunga

Andrew Kathindi The ongoing joint investigation between the Namibian Police and officials from Botswana into the fatal killing of four fishermen, three of them Namibian brothers, has been concluded in Botswana, Nampol Inspector General, Sebastian Ndeitunga, has revealed. Ndeitunga told Windhoek Observer that the team has since began investigations from the Namibian side of the border, and will report their findings once completed. “The team is done in Botswana. They are now in Namibia. They are interviewing witnesses from the Namibian side. They are at the scene where it happened, from the Namibian side,” he said. This comes as a…

21 Nov

Sex offenders’ registry raises concerns

ObserverObserver MoneyI Am Not Next Africa’ (IANNA) Community, sex offenders registry, Yvonne Dausab

Clifton Movirongo As government moves ahead with plans to implement a sex offenders registry while increasing its efforts in stemming the rise in rape and gender-based violence (GBV) cases in the country, Justice minister, Yvonne Dausab said initiatives by organisations such as, ‘I Am Not Next Africa’ (IANNA) Community have the potential of violating other people’s rights. This comes as the organisation has published its own Sex Offences Registry (SOR). “I think even if it is meant as a protest tool, it is potentially affecting the rights of others. It would seem some of the persons listed have not yet…

20 Nov

Tjama denies tribal remarks

ObserverObserver MoneyDr Tjama Tjivikua, Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST)

Staff Writer Former vice chancellor of the Namibia University of Science and Technology (Nust), Dr Tjama Tjivikua has rubbished a WhatsApp message screenshot currently in circulation that has been anonymously attributed to him discussing various developments at the university. He has labelled it fake news. “This week, social media has seen another repeated and blatant attempt to mar my good name. This is in the form of the same fake postings, which appeared last year and were debunked as fake news. They hold no validity or truth whatsoever,” he told the Windhoek Observer. He denied that conversation, where he is…

20 Nov

Election day declared a public holiday

ObserverObserver MoneyElection day, Electoral Act, Local Authorities, president Hage Geingob, public holiday, Regional Councils

Andrew Kathindi President Hage Geingob on Wednesday declared the 25th of November, the day of the local authority and regional elections, a public holiday. “Under the powers vested in the President by section 1(3) of the Public Holidays Act, 1990 (Act No. 26 of 1990, the President of the Republic of Namibia, His Excellency Dr. Hage G. Geingob has declared 25 November 2020 as a public holiday for the purposes of the general election of members of regional councils and of members of local authority councils under the Electoral Act, 2014 (Act No 5 of 2014)” Press Secretary, Dr Alfredo…

20 Nov

Over 500 candidates to contest upcoming elections …nearly 100 are independents

ObserverObserver MoneyChairperson of the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN), Independent Candidates (IC), Notemba Tjipueja

Helena Johannes The Chairperson of the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN), Notemba Tjipueja has announced that there are 503 candidates competing in the elections on November 25th. Of that number, 92 are Independent Candidates (IC). They will compete in 121 constituencies and 57 local authority areas during the upcoming polls. She said no less than 18 political parties and 13 associations are contesting in the 121 constituency and 57 local authority areas. “Notable is the unprecedented number of independent candidates and associations taking part in these elections,” she said. This comes as the election body recently revealed that around 1.4…