Opinions

The announcement by Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare that government has established an 11-member task force to review governance and remuneration in Namibia’s state-owned enterprises (SOEs) has reignited a debate that has simmered for years. For some, the move represents a long-overdue intervention into a public sector plagued by uneven salary structures, weak governance and declining public confidence. For others, it is merely another commission destined to produce an excellent report that ultimately gathers dust on a government shelf. The skepticism is understandable. Namibia has no shortage of commissions, inquiries, task forces and policy reviews. What has often been lacking is…

Thirty-six years after independence, Namibia continues to carry an unenviable distinction. Despite its political stability, vast natural resources and upper-middle-income status, it remains one of the most unequal societies on Earth. The contradiction is striking. The country is rich in diamonds, uranium, gold, fisheries and, increasingly, green hydrogen potential. It boasts modern banking institutions, world-class infrastructure by regional standards and an economy expected to benefit significantly from offshore oil discoveries. Yet nearly one million Namibians still live in informal settlements. Youth unemployment remains alarmingly high. Thousands of households depend on social grants, while a relatively small segment of society controls…

Namibia has always had something that few countries can claim. It has never needed to manufacture beauty. From the towering dunes of Sossusvlei to the haunting silence of the Skeleton Coast, from the wildlife spectacle of Etosha National Park to the rugged landscapes of Damaraland and the life-giving waters of the Zambezi Region, Namibia possesses a tourism product that is both authentic and extraordinary. Yet for decades, the country has quietly watched its neighbours dominate the African tourism conversation. South Africa has built a global tourism powerhouse around diversity, accessibility and world-class infrastructure. Botswana has cultivated an exclusive, high-value safari…

It is perhaps the harshest criticism any capital city can receive. “Boring.” Not unsafe. Not expensive. Not overcrowded. Simply… boring. The word has lingered over Windhoek following remarks from tourism stakeholders who relayed what some international visitors have been saying for years. Many tourists, they argue, arrive in Namibia’s capital, spend a night, perhaps two, and then immediately head for Sossusvlei, Etosha National Park, Swakopmund or the Skeleton Coast. Windhoek, for many, is little more than a place to collect a rental vehicle, stock up on groceries and sleep before the real holiday begins. It is a criticism that stings…

Kae Matundu-Tjiparuro Can any political party and/or formation ever put Namibia on the right trajectory – a progressive trajectory – if it does not have, in the least, an ideological foundation for what this trajectory, however progressive it may be, is? Yours Truly Ideologically is prompted to pose this question, given his circumspection that unless the country knows where it is coming from, where it currently is, and where it is headed, then whatever it is currently doing and may be doing in the future, if not rooted in a deep-seated analysis, especially as to the nature and genesis of…

Paul T. Shipale (with inputs by Folito Nghitongovali Diawara Gaspar) Beyond parliamentary procedure A parliament is judged not by the number of speeches delivered within its chamber, but by its ability to transform the aspirations of the people into enforceable law. Debates may shape public opinion, but legislation shapes the State itself. Every Act of Parliament defines the relationship between citizens and government, regulates the economy, protects constitutional rights, and determines how public institutions function. When proposed legislation accumulates without progressing through the legislative process, parliament faces what is commonly known as a backlog of bills. While this may appear…

Paul T. Shipale (with inputs by Folito Nghitongovali Diawara Gaspar) The question few dare to answer What troubles you more, acknowledging your own lack of competence, or admitting that your proximity to power is a personal privilege that, more often than not, comes at the expense of the national interest? This question is not directed at one individual or one institution. It is directed at every society that has allowed personal loyalty to overshadow merit, competence and accountability. It is also a question that demands intellectual honesty. Most people find it easier to defend their position as the human ego…

By Eunice Tjituka, Senior Manager: Global Business and Treasury Operations at Nedbank Namibia For many Namibians, travelling abroad or paying for goods and services internationally can seem complicated. Terms such as 'cross-border payments', 'foreign exchange (FX)' and 'international transaction fees' often sound technical, yet they reflect everyday banking moments – from paying for a flight online to swiping a card while travelling. At Nedbank Namibia, our role is to simplify these conversations and help clients understand what really happens when money moves across borders. In simple terms, a cross-border payment occurs when money is sent or spent in another country.…

Jeronimo Kateya Effective 1 May 2026, China launched a unilateral zero-tariff regime covering  53 African countries having diplomatic relations with China, eliminating customs duties on African export tariff lines. Beyond standard trade liberalisation, the policy reshapes China-Africa supply chains and value distribution, extending China’s domestic poverty alleviation logic under its 15th Five-Year Plan to African economies, including Namibia. Drawing on Hjarvard’s (2013) mediatization theory, this article positions digital communication as a core cross-border trade infrastructure that governs compliance, market discovery and consumer trust. It analyses how African firms’ digital narrative capacity transforms zero-tariff advantages into sustainable industrial development, synthesising African…