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State of emergency comes to an end
18 Sep

State of emergency comes to an end

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Andrew Kathindi The six-month state of emergency which was put in place in March, and lapses at midnight on Thursday 17 September, will not be extended, President Hage Geingob has announced. This comes as it emerged that Geingob did not have the legal power to make an extension without making overtures to the opposition as the move will require parliamentary approval. The President, however, said his government had assessed and weighed both the positive and negative impacts of the regulations and considered the additional capacity created during the six-month period, which led to the decision. “This is a defining moment…
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Agribusdev boss found dead
17 Sep

Agribusdev boss found dead

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Staff Writer Suspended Agricultural Business Development Agency (Agribusdev) Managing Director, Petrus Uugwanga was found dead on Wednesday, September 16, 2020. According to the Police, Uugwanga’s body was found in Otjimuise with a gunshot wound to the chest. A pump action shotgun found lying few meters from the body. “The body was lying next to a Grey Amarok Volswagen D/Cab which is registered in the name of the deceased,” Namibian Police spokesperson Deputy Commissioner Kauna Shikwambi said. “The motive is not known and there was no suicide note left behind. The deceased was an employee of Agricultural Business Development (AgriBusDev). His…
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Swapo grapples with 2/3 majority loss …As state of emergency extension requires parliamentary approval
17 Sep

Swapo grapples with 2/3 majority loss …As state of emergency extension requires parliamentary approval

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Andrew Kathindi Swapo has for the first time felt the impact of losing the 2/3 majority in Parliament as the decision over extending the state of emergency looms. This comes as President Hage Geingob would need a two/third majority (66 members of the 95 voting members) in order to extend state of emergency which lapses on Thursday. Geingob will address the nation tomorrow to pronounce himself on the matter. Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) leader, McHenry Venaani last week said that his party will not support any extension of the state of emergency. “That 2/3 majority allows the [ruling] party that…
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Taxi union want N$14 retained …as Ministry declines N$15.40 increase
16 Sep

Taxi union want N$14 retained …as Ministry declines N$15.40 increase

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Andrew Kathindi The Namibia Transport and Taxi Union (NTTU) is calling for the N$14 taxi fare to remain in place whether or not the state of emergency is lifted on Thursday at midnight. This comes after the union’s attempt to increase the going taxi rate to N$15.40 for 1 September, citing an increase in the price for petrol was rejected by Ministry of Works and Transport. NTTU leader Werner Januarie said the union is looking at the situation on the ground and is considering a demonstration in this regard. “We did make a request previously, which was turned down by…
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Education ministry still in repetition conundrum
16 Sep

Education ministry still in repetition conundrum

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Helena Johannes The Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture is yet to pronounce itself on the matter of learners repeating their grades next year should they fail their end of the year assessments. This comes after certain learners, particularly those in Khomas region, have not received any face-to-face teaching since schools were first closed during the state of emergency proclaimed by President Hage Geingob in March, with classes having only resumed this week. Acting Director of Programmes and Quality Assurance at the Education Ministry, Ayesha Wentworth said the constant U-turns made by the Ministry since the beginning of the pandemic…
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Fish Trust awaits board appointments
15 Sep

Fish Trust awaits board appointments

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Andrew Kathindi Public Enterprise Minister, Leon Jooste has said that the process of recruiting a new Namibia Fish Consumption Promotion Trust (NFCPT) Board has been derailed by COVID-19. “The process to identify the candidates is ongoing. The entity has not been operating as a result of COVID-19 and the pandemic has also affected our program to recruit,” he told Windhoek Observer. This comes after the terms of the last Board, which served from 2017 lapsed in September 2019. The board was chaired by Suzan Ndjaleka. NFCPT was established with a mandate to promote fish consumption throughout the country, through the…
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Govt still to deliver Cuba student parcels …as students plead for President’s intervention
15 Sep

Govt still to deliver Cuba student parcels …as students plead for President’s intervention

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Andrew Kathindi Namibian medical students in Cuba are pleading with President Hage Geingob to assist with the delivery of parcels organized by the relatives, amid claims some of the items are spoiling in the Health Ministry’s facility storage. This comes two months after a South African Airways plane which was scheduled to travel to Cuba on 3 July with the said parcels left with only Namibian Ambassador to Cuba, Samuel /Gôagoseb, without the packages. The students have now accused the Health Ministry of abandoning them and leaving their items to rot, after no progress has been made on delivering their…
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COVID saves Gvt millions in allowances
15 Sep

COVID saves Gvt millions in allowances

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Staff Writer The restriction on travel by government officials due to the outbreak of COVID-19 has saved government million in travel allowances, amid revelation only 7.1 percent of the allocated amount of N$222. 8 million for the 2020/21 financial year has been spent. According to Ministry of Finance figures, Daily Subsistence Allowance (DSA) has only gobbled N$15.8 million for the period April 2020 to August 2020, compared to N$116.9 million for the same period last year. This comes as it emerged that most of the travel conducted during the period was COVID-19 related, with the bulk of the allowances paid…
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Shivute lands NamRA top job
12 Sep

Shivute lands NamRA top job

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Staff Writer Bank of Namibia (BoN) Director of Banking Services, Sam Shivute is set to be appointed the inaugural head of the Namibia Revenue Agency (NamRA) after cabinet chaired by President Hage Geingob approved his appointment. The last hurdle in the unveiling of Shivute now lies with the Public Service Commission, which is widely expected to approve his appointment as Commissioner of NamRA following cabinet’s nod. Shivute will ascend to head the revenue body amid allegations that recruitment procedures were violated to ensure that he emerges as the preferred candidate, with the finance minister Iipumbu Shiimi as the key driver…
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Stage 3 lockdown extended for 5 days
12 Sep

Stage 3 lockdown extended for 5 days

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Andrew Kathindi President Hage Geingob has once again extended the current stage three state of emergency lockdown to all 14 regions of the country. The extension is set to last for an additional five days. The existing state of emergency was supposed to lapse at midnight on Thursday 17 September, coinciding with the end of the six-month state of emergency period. “Regions which previously recorded lower cases, are now recording rising rates of infection. This is a matter of concern. New cases increased in the Kavango East Region by 138 percent, 78 percent in Otjozonjupa Region, 69 percent in //Kharas…
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