Opinions

2025 SONA: BOTTOM-UP ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATION FOR SHARED PROSPERITY

2025 SONA: BOTTOM-UP ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATION FOR SHARED PROSPERITY

Josef Kefas Sheehama On the 24 April 2025, President H.E. Dr. Netumbo Ndemupelila Nandi-Ndaitwah of the Republic of Namibia delivered her first State of the Nation Address (SONA), emphasizing "Unity in Diversity, Natural Resources Beneficiation, and Youth Empowerment for Sustainable Development." She outlined the administration's goals and strategies for an array of the economy. In the SONA, the president outlines the targets for the year, the current state and achievements of the economy, and plans for implementation. In addition to highlighting important challenges and transformative initiatives, her 2025 State of the Nation Address outlined eight key economic enablers and seven…
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BETWEEN HONOR AND ACCOUNTABILITY: THE LEGAL AND ETHICAL IMPLICATIONS OF NAMIBIA’S ‘FOUNDING FATHER’ STATUS AND POST-PRESIDENTIAL BENEFITS

BETWEEN HONOR AND ACCOUNTABILITY: THE LEGAL AND ETHICAL IMPLICATIONS OF NAMIBIA’S ‘FOUNDING FATHER’ STATUS AND POST-PRESIDENTIAL BENEFITS

PAUL T. SHIPALE (with inputs by Folito Nghitongovali Diawara Gaspar) Abstract Former Leader of the Official Opposition of The Popular Democratic Movement’s (PDM), McHenry Venaani, on Wednesday submitted a series of questions to Prime Minister Dr. Elijah Ngurare, calling for cost cutting measures by repurposing state offices for former presidents instead of building or renting new ones. Venaani Proposed that the Office previously used by the late Founding President and Father of the Namibian Nation, H.E Dr. Sam Shafiishuna Nujoma, be allocated to accommodate living former Heads of State such as Hifikepunye Pohamba and Nangolo Mbumba. “Can the government repurpose the…
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NNN team & the country must brace themselves for capitalist backlash

NNN team & the country must brace themselves for capitalist backlash

Kae Matundu-Tjiparuro With its mantra of “business unusual”, needless to mention, the 8th administration of Namibia, new as it may be and proffered and sounded and perceived to be under President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, is essentially old. The Swapo of Namibia is a long-standing political party that has undergone constant change, transformation, transition, and metamorphosis. In many aspects and respects. Whether democratically, ideologically, politically or otherwise, it must have its work cut out. Navigating the entrenched capitalist system in the country and fulfilling the ideal of "business unusual" is undoubtedly a challenging task. Let alone giving it a definition and practical…
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ANIREP acquires 45% stake in Cerim for N$60m

ANIREP acquires 45% stake in Cerim for N$60m

CHAMWE KAIRA  Alpha Namibia Industries Renewable Power (ANIREP) has concluded a conditional binding offer, in terms of which ANIREP will acquire a 45% shareholding in Cerim Luderitz Energy (Pty) Ltd for a total consideration of N$60 million. The vendors are Allied Worldwide Trading Limited, for a 30% shareholding, and Riminii Investment (Proprietary) Limited, for a 15% shareholding. CERIM is an Independent Power Producer (IPP) currently developing a 50 MW (AC) wind power plant located 17km south of Lüderitz in the Karas Region. The project will include the development of 743 hectares of land into a power-generating facility and the construction…
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US tariffs potential drive up inflation, stymie economy, and precipitate recession

US tariffs potential drive up inflation, stymie economy, and precipitate recession

Josef Kefas Sheehama Namibia will be susceptible to this financial contagion in the short to medium term, but I disagree with the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Bank of Namibia's assessment that tariffs will have little immediate effect on GDP. It is critical to recognize that Namibia's economy is comparatively small, and a reduction in revenue from international sources will negatively affect the country's liquidity, given that Namibia does not possess sufficient domestic markets to yield adequate income to offset the impacts of earnings from export markets. The markets are projected to continue being highly volatile, undergoing considerable fluctuations…
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Proof of “business unusual”  is in the ideological eating!

Proof of “business unusual”  is in the ideological eating!

Kae Matundu-Tjiparuro As much as Yours Truly Ideologically would wish to give Her Excellency Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, President of the Republic of Namibia, and her eclectic team  based on  considerations such as gender and youth, and presumably also on technocratic merits, the benefit of the doubt, experiences in governance over the last 35 years simply dictates against this. As with most policies over the last 35 years, the few meaningful ones in the uplifting of the living standards of the masses are concerned. Safe for co-opting a few petty bourgeoises in the current capitalist economic productive system. They are yet to…
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THE MANTRA OF NO BUSINESS AS USUAL VS THE CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK OF A DEVELOPMENTAL STATE

THE MANTRA OF NO BUSINESS AS USUAL VS THE CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK OF A DEVELOPMENTAL STATE

PAUL T. SHIPALE (with inputs by Folito Nghitongovali Diawara Gaspar) Abstract The question one must ask is; what is our conceptual framework as far as development is concerned? Should we determine the course of our actions based solely on the mantra of “no business as usual”? In his contribution to the appropriation bill, the Landless People’s Movement Leader Bernadus Swartbooi asked, how come in our public discourse there is no reference to words such as “Developmental State”, and “Industrialization”? In our view, he should have asked; What is the conceptual framework as far as our development is concerned?   Is it true…
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A HOUSE WITHOUT A TOILET IS NOT A HOME

A HOUSE WITHOUT A TOILET IS NOT A HOME

Wayambekange N Hamufenhu A house without a toilet is, by all definitions, incomplete. Sanitation is not a luxury, it is a human right. It upholds human dignity, protects our health, and provides personal safety. Without proper toilets, people are forced to live in conditions that are both undignified and dangerous. In our beloved Land of the Brave, compared to other sectors such as education, infrastructure, healthcare, and governance, progress has been made. However, sanitation continues to lag. Yet, sanitation is a silent crisis that affects hundreds of thousands, particularly in rural villages and informal settlements. The 2023 Namibian Census report…
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Thesis, anti-thesis & synthesis on the role of the leader of the official opposition in Namibia

Thesis, anti-thesis & synthesis on the role of the leader of the official opposition in Namibia

PAUL T. SHIPALE (with inputs by Folito Nghitongovali Diawara Gaspar) Abstract This article critically examines the constitutional status of Namibia’s Leader of the Official Opposition, a position declared unconstitutional by Panduleni Itula of the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC). Employing a dialectical analysis (thesis-antithesis-synthesis), the study explores the tension between statutory deficiencies and parliamentary conventions that underpin the office. By situating Namibia’s semi-presidential hybrid system within a global comparative framework, including France and Zambia, the article argues that, while the role lacks constitutional grounding, its functional necessity in a democratic system warrants formal legislative codification. It concludes with recommendations for…
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Namibia sports requires a standardised salary scale and strong governance

Namibia sports requires a standardised salary scale and strong governance

Mathew Haikali Take a moment to think about the coaches, administrators, and volunteers who pour their time and energy into developing athletes and keeping the wheels of Namibian sport turning. Many of them do this with little certainty about their future, unclear pay expectations, and often without contracts that properly recognise their skills and qualifications. One of the biggest challenges in our sports sector—one that rarely gets the attention it deserves—is the lack of a standardised salary scale. Right now, hiring and firing in sports often feels random. There’s no consistency, no clear benchmarks tied to qualifications or experience, and…
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