Opinions – Page 10 – Windhoek Observer

29 Jul

The youth fund: Dead on arrival?

Editorial, Featured, Opinions

The Development Bank of Namibia (DBN) recently launched the Youth Fund, a loan scheme meant to empower young Namibians to start businesses and create economic opportunities. Yet, the Fund sits idle, with “little to no uptake” from the very demographic it seeks to uplift. This scenario is both perplexing and revealing, pointing to deeper systemic flaws in how youth-targeted economic interventions are conceptualised and implemented in Namibia. The Youth Fund’s poor performance raises the fundamental question: was it designed with the realities of young Namibians in mind? Debt, particularly in the context of a weak job market and an unforgiving…

29 Jul

The silent crisis: Addressing the plight of the boy child and men facing mental health challenges

Opinions

Julia Nyanyukweni Alfeus In recent times, a concerning pattern has emerged across the Namibian region of Ohangwena and beyond: the rising number of men and boy children succumbing to depression and, tragically, taking their own lives. This month (July) alone, three teachers in Ohangwena made the heartbreaking decision to end their lives, adding to a growing tally that continues to rise. These devastating incidents underscore a silent crisis that demands urgent attention. Mental health remains a stigmatised and often neglected aspect of overall well-being, especially among boys and men. Cultural expectations often dictate that males should be strong, resilient, and…

29 Jul

NNN engineered needed economic, national, and sustainable goals

Opinions

Josef Kefas Sheehama The President of Namibia, Her Excellency Dr. Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, has my sincere gratitude for the excellent accountability report she delivered during her first ninety days in office. Prior to Vision 2030, Namibia launched its medium-term plan, the Sixth National Development Plan (NDP6). Therefore, Namibia's degree of industrialisation is greatly influenced by how well or poorly this plan is implemented. The First Hundred Days of Her Excellency Dr. Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah's presidential administration was characterised by severe scrutiny, particularly when it came to cabinet resignations and emotive issues involving her cabinet members. Namibians express concerns about the administration's cohesion…

29 Jul

Not all wounds bleed: The invisible pain of men’s mental health

Opinions

Junias VH Shipwilikineni The world is crying softly, almost silently, but the pain is real. Each day, we are losing men to a hidden battle, one that rarely makes the headlines: suicide. Fathers, sons, brothers, and friends are disappearing, not because of war or disease, but because of the weight they carry in silence. These are not loud exits. These are quiet tragedies, unfolding in bedrooms, bathrooms, cars, and workplaces. Their wounds don’t bleed, but they are deep. And too often, they are fatal. From boyhood, males are taught to suppress emotion. They are told to “man up,” not to…

29 Jul

The Financial Sector Must Stop Financing Everyone but Namibians

Editorial, Featured, Opinions

When Bank of Namibia Governor Johannes !Gawaxab recently admitted that local ownership and control in our financial sector has reached only 20% against a 25% target set a decade ago, he was not merely stating a statistic, he was laying bare an uncomfortable truth. Namibia’s financial services sector, the backbone of any modern economy, remains far too dependent on and beholden to foreign capital and interests. For ten years, we have tinkered at the edges of transformation. We have introduced localisation quotas, promoted local talent into top management, and celebrated the listing of banks on our stock exchange. Yet beneath this…

28 Jul

BREAKING THE CYCLE: A BOLD MOVE FOR HIGH SCHOOL AND VARSITY YOUTH—ALIGN WITH MARKET DEMAND EARLY.

Opinions

By Sem Billy David I, _ A Youth leader and Regional Chairperson With graduate unemployment sitting at a shocking 36.9% in this country, it is evident we have an issue within our education system. As young learners and students assessing their high school and university prospects, it is imperative to recognize the myriad methods to shatter the cycle of unemployment and barely employment that so many people their age struggle with. One potential solution could be a daring move that intertwines acquiring specific vocational skills with the cultivation of natural abilities. The potential issue is that no one in current…

28 Jul

Liberation Movements – Past Their Sell-By Dates?

Editorial, Featured, Opinions

The former liberation movements of southern Africa – the ANC in South Africa, SWAPO in Namibia, the MPLA in Angola, among others – have gathered in South Africa under the lofty theme:“Defending the Liberation Gains, Advancing Integrated Socio-Economic Development, Strengthening Solidarity for a Better Africa.” On paper, it sounds noble. In reality, it reeks of irony. For decades, these movements carried the dreams of their people, leading struggles that dismantled colonialism and apartheid. They promised freedom, prosperity, and dignity. Today, however, many citizens look at them and ask: What liberation gains are left to defend? Liberation vs. Governance The transition from…

25 Jul

THE FIRST 100 DAYS OF PRESIDENT NANDI-NDAITWAH THROUGH THE LENS OF FREIRE AND UNGER’S EMPOWERED DEMOCRACY: FROM SYMBOLISM TO SUBSTANCE

Featured, Opinions

PAUL T. SHIPALE (with inputs by Folito Nghitongovali Diawara Gaspar) Abstract This analysis examines President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah's inaugural 100 days through the theoretical frameworks of Paulo Freire's conscientization and Roberto Mangabeira Unger's institutional reinvention. Moving beyond ceremonial assessments, this scholarly examination interrogates the substantive transformation of Namibian governance structures and the symbolic yet significant declaration of Nujoma Day. The analysis provides an honest evaluation of performance metrics while establishing a framework for understanding the trajectory from electoral promises to developmental praxis. Introduction: The Crucible of Transformative Leadership Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah first 100 days in office have marked a decisive shift in Namibia’s…

25 Jul

Let’s confront the spectre of tribalism before it consumes us

Editorial, Featured, Opinions

Tribalism is rearing its ugly head in Namibia. What was once whispered in hushed tones has now found a loudspeaker in burning food stalls, toxic social media narratives, and widening social fault lines. The recent incident in Otjinene — where food stalls belonging to Aawambo and Ovazemba people were torched, reportedly by members of the Ovaherero community — is not just an isolated act of criminality. It is a symptom of a deeper, more dangerous illness spreading through our national fabric: a growing sense of ethnic resentment. The background to this violent escalation is as tragic as it is telling.…

25 Jul

Stop studying the problem. Start equipping the youth.

Opinions

Nrupesh Soni I’ve been in too many rooms where “youth empowerment” is thrown around like confetti at a national pity party. Boardrooms, conference halls, panel discussions, and press releases—all overflowing with the language of potential. But when the talk is over and the confetti is swept away, nobody is handing over the tools. Let’s be brutally honest. We don’t have a shortage of ideas or intelligence among Namibian youth. We have a crisis of access. A deficit of trust. A paralysis of action. And most of all, we have a surplus of committees, reports, and roundtables. I've had the privilege…