Opinions

George Kambala  There are moments in a nation’s life when time seems to stand still when the noise of politics fades, when the urgency of daily life pauses, and when we are called, collectively, to reflect. The passing of Hon. James Unomasa Uerikua is one such moment. It is difficult to speak of loss when the life we are remembering was so full, full of purpose, of conviction, of quiet but unwavering strength. And yet, perhaps the true measure of a life is not in how loudly it was lived, but in how deeply it was felt by those it…

Paul T. Shipale (with inputs by Folito Nghitongovali Diawara Gaspar) Namibia’s conferment of the status of founding father of the Namibian nation on the first president of the republic under an Act of Parliament (Act 16 of 2005) is not merely a commemorative gesture.  It is a decisive political act that singularly put the origin story of the state and covered a complex liberation history into a legally sanctioned truth. In doing so, it does something far more consequential than honour the Founding Father, H.E. Dr Sam Nujoma; it narrows the field of interpretation and anchors political legitimacy in a…

Kae Matundu-Tjiparuro Exile to exile. Once in exile, always in exile until death. This seems to be the eternal epitome of the descendants of the survivors of the Ovaherero, Ovambanderu and Nama GENOCIDES.  Unless and until they themselves, nobody but themselves, deliver themselves through their own trials and tribulations via true restorative justice ultimately. Which entails the return of their land. Putting an end to their perpetual internal exiling and continued banishment to outposts such as Gam. Where many descendants, you name them, have since independence continued to be banished by none other than their own Swapo of Namibia government.…

Paul T. Shipale (with inputs by Folito Nghitongovali Diawara Gaspar) Listening to the tributes and messages of condolences on the occasion of the memorial service at Parliament Gardens in honour of the late Hon. James Unomasa Uerikua and his beloved son Venturo, one thing that struck a chord so profoundly was the fact that most of the leaders of the opposition parties are young and were once upon a time either in the Nanso, workers’ union, youth league and Swapo party leadership, and one wonders why so. Perhaps the answer lies in their message that seeks to redefine freedom based…

Kae Matundu-Tjiparuro What a brave attempt befitting the brave new world of the brave 8th administration of Namibia. Could not have been the immediate reaction of Yours Truly Ideologically to the National Council Secretary’s brave attempt at rationalising and attempting to instilling a sense of understanding in whatever way, politically, administratively and otherwise, regarding the recent appointment of especially deputy ministers by the President.  Her Excellency, in her typical “business unusual” gear and mode, herself cited governance, accountability, inclusivity and the acceleration of national development as, indeed, the obvious reasons and/or motivations for the appointments. Certainly they cannot be the…

Adolf Kaure Networking is an art. It does not matter which profession you find yourself in; it is necessary to grasp the soft skills of building a network of personalities who enhance your presence in your industry. Whether you carry the energy and light that charm every room or you are a quiet ‘church mouse’, there is no excuse for not having networking skills, as they are the fulcrum that can easily catapult you to another stage of your professional career. In the communications and public relations profession, networking is highly essential – not only the reason behind it but…

Sem Billy David  The current government administration came forth with soothing promises and clear objectives to move senior civil servants from private hospitals to state hospitals.  This is called Vision April 2026, a government plan issued by Her Excellency Dr Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, directing all senior civil servants and politicians to start using public health facilities from April 2026.  She stated: “They have government medical aid, but they don’t make use of state facilities. You will find them at private hospitals.” The plan, she explained, is for senior public servants and politicians to start using their medical aid in state hospitals.…

Prof Sulaiman Olusegun Atiku Despite decades of investment in higher education, thousands of youths leave classrooms armed with certificates but lacking the skills in high demand by a fast-changing labour market. The problem is not unique to Namibia; many sub-Saharan African education systems still rely heavily on traditional teaching and assessment methods.  With the 44.4% youth unemployment rate (Labour Force Report, 2025), Namibia can no longer afford an education model that fails to inspire creativity, problem-solving, and eco-innovation. Across the continent, there is growing recognition that the traditional model is simply not fit for purpose. It does little to cultivate…

Kae Matundu-Tjiparuro FOR what use and for what sake can the joint declaration (JD), or its amended version, really revert or be reverted to, referred to and/or returned to the National Assembly and/or the Namibian Parliament? Is the question legitimate from any bona fide descendant of the survivors of the genocide of the Ovaherero and Nama, among others? It is not so much a legitimate question as a real concern.  Because the paradigm today, especially among the descendants of the survivors of GENOCIDE, is not the JD. Because the JD is a product of a process that the sovereigns in…