Opinions

Sem Billy David After a strategic assessment of the trading environment in Windhoek, I have observed a troubling reality: many of the open markets we know today were not initially created by the City of Windhoek, but were instead identified and developed by vendors themselves before the city later stepped in. This raises an important question about planning, fairness, and responsibility. If street trading is a recognized part of the urban economy, why are there still so few properly built, properly serviced, and legally compliant markets for the people who depend on this trade to survive? The number of available…

Kae Matundu-Tjiparuro Johann Wadepul or not, and with or without him, at this juncture the German foreign minister's recent international diplomatic itinerary, which included a visit to Namibia's southern neighbour South Africa but excluded Namibia herself, would have made no difference. As the saying goes, you reap what you sow. It would not have been necessary for Wadepul to come to Namibia – for what? One cannot but ask. Wadepul's visit to South Africa went unnoticed, especially to the descendants there. This could have been different if the descendants in South Africa and their government were and have been an…

Paul T. Shipale (with inputs by Folito Nghitongovali Diawara Gaspar) The silent threat to every nation The greatest threat to a nation is not poor leadership alone. It is the silence of capable citizens who surrender their judgment in exchange for comfort, security or proximity to power. Every society eventually faces a defining question that will produce citizens capable of thinking independently, or followers conditioned merely to obey? The answer determines the quality of leadership, the resilience of institutions and, ultimately, the future of the nation itself. The greatest danger is not dictatorship imposed by force. It is something far…

Kae Matundu-Tjiparuro We have come a long way to let it go. Never ever, not now. As much as we have reached the Rubicon, this is not the time to push back and retreat, shift sideways, or incline in the slightest towards entertaining the Joint Declaration (JD) bilateral political razzmatazz of our Namibian government and its German counterpart. In the memory of Dr Freddy Omo Kustaa, and many others, this is the time to push on by any means necessary towards the ultimate victory. There can be no other option than true and fair restorative justice, as now embodied in…

When law meets administration. Carmen Diehl  & Vincent Shimutwikeni On 1 May 2026, Namibia's retirement fund industry entered a new regulatory era with the commencement of the Financial Institutions and Markets Act, 2021 ("FIMA"). The Act represents the most significant reform of the retirement fund regulatory framework in decades, strengthening governance, enhancing member protection and modernising the regulation of non-bank financial institutions. As with any significant legislative reform, however, the true test of the law does not begin when it is published in the Government Gazette. It begins when its provisions must be translated into systems, processes, decisions and, ultimately,…

UAATJO KAURIMUJE On the 1st of May 2026, Namibia entered a new era in financial regulation with the commencement of the Financial Institutions and Markets Act, Act No. 2 of 2021 popularly known as (FIMA). More than just a new law, FIMA represents a major step forward in strengthening consumer protection, financial inclusion, and confidence in Namibia’s non-banking financial sector. For many consumers, financial laws can seem distant and complex. However, FIMA has a simple and important purpose: to ensure that financial institutions and markets work fairly, transparently, and responsibly for all Namibians. Why Was FIMA Introduced? For many years,…

Paul T. Shipale (with inputs by Folito Nghitongovali Diawara Gaspar) A small territory with global significance; Walvisbaai is nie Utuseb nie. When a great power fights for decades to retain what appears to be a small piece of territory, the question should never be, “What is in that territory?” Rather, it should be, “What does that territory allow them to control?” That is the question we should ask about Walvis Bay. At first glance, it is simply a port on Namibia’s Atlantic coast. Yet its history tells a very different story. If Walvis Bay had been nothing more than an…

Jeronimo Kateya State visits are more than ceremonial exchanges. They are mediated historical events where diplomacy, digital and journalistic media, and public meaning intersect. In July 2026, I was accorded the rare opportunity by the Namibian Embassy in Beijing to serve in an official capacity during the State Visit of Her Excellency Dr. Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah to the People’s Republic of China. My specific role was to assist Namibian media professionals in Beijing and to draft the media invitation to all Chinese media houses for the press conference and other engagements to be addressed by the President. This encounter, along with…

Kehad Snydewel There is a global technological transformation underway, with AI at its heart. Namibia is perfectly positioned to be a frontrunner if it plans wisely. With a large young demographic eager to engage with the global digital economy, the nation represents the ideal ecosystem for serving as a benchmark for African AI development. By establishing an artificial intelligence institute right here in Namibia, the country can leverage its unique position to pioneer scalable, inclusive tech solutions that resonate far beyond its borders. Our country would act as an AI lab for the rest of Africa. Namibia offers an incredibly…

Paul T. Shipale (with inputs by Folito Nghitongovali Diawara Gaspar) Beyond natural resources For decades, Namibia’s development narrative has been shaped by what lies beneath its soil. Diamonds built part of the nation’s economy. Uranium strengthened its geopolitical importance. Today, oil and green hydrogen promise a new era of prosperity. Yet history offers a sobering lesson that natural resources alone have never guaranteed sustainable development. We can no longer ask ourselves how much wealth we can extract from the ground, but how we intend to transform that wealth into lasting national capacity. The answer can be found in our minds.…