Opinions

In the aftermath of the recent regional and local authority elections, Namibia is once again sorting through a familiar mixture of certainty and surprise. The results of these elections as announced by the Electoral Commission of Namibia point to a notable trend: Swapo has reclaimed several constituencies it lost in previous cycles. The outcome is significant. Over the past decade, Namibia’s political terrain has been marked by fragmentation, emerging parties, independent candidates reshaping the margins, and a steady erosion of the once unquestioned dominance of the ruling party. The 2024 general elections reflected this mood. Swapo held on to power,…

Voter apathy is not a headline that demands immediate attention; however, it is one of the most telling signs of the health of a democracy. It moves quietly, shaping election outcomes without noise or spectacle. In Namibia, youth voter apathy has become a defining feature of recent elections, and this week’s polls may have deepened the pattern. While the country debates which constituencies swung back to the ruling party and which parties gained or lost ground, the biggest shift may be the one that did not appear at the ballot box at all. Young people are increasingly choosing to stay…

 PAUL T. SHIPALE (with inputs by Folito Nghitongovali Diawara Gaspar) The 2025 G20 Leaders’ Summit, the first ever held on African soil, was widely celebrated as a milestone for African agency. For two days, Johannesburg stood at the center of global governance under the theme “Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability.”  It was a moment when Africa did not simply participate in the global conversation but also directed it. The continent placed issues such as climate justice, multilateral reform, debt restructuring, and sustainable development at the forefront of the global agenda. But as history often reminds us, progress reveals both power and fragility.…

Frieda Stefanus In today’s world, access to accurate and timely health information can mean the difference between thriving and surviving. Nowhere is this more urgent than in the realm of Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH), particularly for adolescent girls and young women (AGYW). Without comprehensive education and youth-friendly services, young people face heightened vulnerability to unintended pregnancies, HIV infection, Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs), and gender-based violence (GBV). Knowledge is power and protection SRH education equips AGYW with the tools to recognise and reduce health risks. When young people understand how HIV is transmitted, how to access prevention tools like Pre-Exposure…