Observer Money

SADC lawmakers seek deeper understanding of corruption

SADC lawmakers seek deeper understanding of corruption

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…
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Tourism sector crisis deepens as international arrivals dry up

Tourism sector crisis deepens as international arrivals dry up

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…
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Date set for NUST VC challenge

Date set for NUST VC challenge

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…
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Police concludes shooting investigation in Botswana

Police concludes shooting investigation in Botswana

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…
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Sex offenders’ registry raises concerns

Sex offenders’ registry raises concerns

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…
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Tjama denies tribal remarks

Tjama denies tribal remarks

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…
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Election day declared a public holiday

Election day declared a public holiday

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

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

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…
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NUST VC case heads to court

NUST VC case heads to court

Helena Johannes Legal lawyer Sisa Namandje has revealed that a case to challenge the appointment of the newly appointed Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) Vice-Chancellor will be filed in the High Court in the next two days. “I cannot give more details about my client to the media, but the case will be filed tomorrow or Friday morning,” said Namandje. This comes after the NUST Council through its lawyers had responded justifying the appointment. NUST lawyer Patrick Kauta according local media indicated that a joint search committee of council and senate on 12 November had recommended, voted in…
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NSFAF withhold fees as students, EMONA clash

NSFAF withhold fees as students, EMONA clash

Helena Johannes The Namibia Students Financial Assistance Fund (NSFAF) has put the payments of student’s accommodation residing in EMONA hostel on hold over alleged excessive amounts charged to students, until students review and agree on reasonable amounts. The request to withhold the payments was made by the Namibia National Student Organization (NANSO) “Your request to hold 2020 payments to EMONA hostel has been considered and payments are currently on hold,” said NSFAF Acting CEO Kennedy Kandume in a statement he issued to NANSO. He said some students accommodation payments have already been made to EMONA. “Your organization should resolve this…
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