Opinions – Page 14 – Windhoek Observer

24 Sep

Coaching skills that strengthen employee performance

Opinions

Diamond Training Institute Great managers don’t just assign work—they grow capability. Coaching is the performance multiplier that turns potential into consistent results, especially when it’s woven into everyday routines rather than reserved for annual reviews. The strongest coaching cultures are built on a handful of practical skills that any leader can learn and apply in the flow of work.Start with trust. Coaching lands only when employees feel safe to admit gaps and try new approaches. You build that safety by showing up consistently, being curious rather than judgmental, and keeping commitments. Small behaviours—being on time for one-to-ones, documenting agreed actions,…

24 Sep

OBSERVER DAILY | A Critical Blow to Namibia’s Green Hydrogen Ambitions

Editorial, Featured, Opinions

James Mnyupe’s sudden resignation from Namibia’s Green Hydrogen Programme is more than a routine personnel change, it is a serious blow to one of the most promising economic ventures this country has ever embarked upon. Let’s call it what it is: an initiator of a whole new industry is walking away mid-stream, and that cannot be good for Namibia. Mnyupe was not just another advisor tucked away in State House. He was the architect and chief salesman of Namibia’s green hydrogen dream. With a rare blend of financial expertise, CA, CFA, CFP, and an unmatched grasp of how global capital…

23 Sep

OBSERVER DAILY | Namibia cannot look away from its vulnerable neighbours

Editorial, Featured, Opinions

Namibia is increasingly confronted with a reality that is at once heartbreaking and urgent: young children from Angola, some accompanied, many unaccompanied, are roaming the streets of our towns and cities, from the border provinces to Swakopmund, Mariental, and beyond.They are searching for food, safety, perhaps even a future. We see them, we hear them, often feel pity, but we have not yet responded with the resolve, the coordination or the compassion this challenge demands.Former leaders like governor Sabastian Ndeitunga of Ohangwena and former president Hifikepunye Pohamba have raised the alarm. They stress that these children’s health and safety are…

22 Sep

Avoiding building project nightmares: Tips for property owners

Featured, Opinions

Johannes Hesekiel Building projects often start with exciting visions of what life will be like once the project or renovation is completed. Unfortunately, for many starry-eyed property investors and homeowners, the dream very quickly descends into a nightmare as costs escalate to much higher levels than indicated in the original quotation and completion times extend well beyond initial expectations. This is also a nightmare that you cannot escape from quickly. Once committed to a building project, it is very hard to leave it. Even once the building project has been completed, there is still scope for the nightmare to continue. …

22 Sep

OBSERVER DAILY | Namibia’s moment on the world stage: What President Nandi-Ndaitwah should tell the UN

Editorial, Featured, Opinions

When President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah walks up to the marble podium of the United Nations General Assembly for her maiden address, she will not simply be speaking for Namibia. She will carry the voice of a young African democracy with a hard-won independence and a people who have known both the scars of colonialism and the exhilaration of self-determination. Her speech will be more than a ceremonial debut; it is an opportunity to show the world what Namibia stands for and what it demands of a multilateral system under strain. This is a moment heavy with symbolism. Namibia has travelled a…

19 Sep

YOUNG OBSERVER | #Unmuted

Featured, Opinions

On the 16 September 2025, prime minister Elijah Tjitunga Ngurare announced through social media that “ministry of education, innovation, youth, sports, arts and culture and the ministry of health and social services entered a memorandum of understanding with the Namibia Training Authority (NTA) to facilitate TVET trainees repairing schools, clinics, construction of sanitation facilities, classrooms, etc. Other OMAs will follow suit.” In 2024, the Namibia National Students Organisation (Nanso) launched a programme called Fix My School, which also aimed at partnering with technical and vocational training trainees to improve the dilapidated state of schools, which is a reality they discovered…

19 Sep

YOUNG OBSERVER | Should Namibia consider mandatory paternity testing?

Featured, Opinions

It has been a dark and long week here in our beautiful Republic. From news of horrendous child murders in the growing battles for paternity to the ever-present gender-based violence cases, the question that has begged for response is whether it is time for Namibia to introduce mandatory paternity testing. This has become a clarion call that is viewed as a redeeming act to prevent crimes often termed as passionate and also to safeguard men from the emotional trauma that comes with caring for children who are not theirs biologically. In terms of benchmarking, it is important to highlight that…

19 Sep

OBSERVER DAILY | Balancing experience and renewal in Namibia’s diplomatic corps

Editorial, Featured, Opinions

President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah’s latest round of ambassadorial appointments has ignited a lively national debate. All of the new envoys are seasoned diplomats, many of them retired, and their average age is noticeably high. For some Namibians, their appointment looks like a closed circle of trusted allies, an old guard rewarding loyalty and preserving networks built during the President’s long tenure as Minister of International Relations. For others, it is simply a pragmatic decision to deploy experienced professionals at a critical time for the country’s foreign policy. Both perspectives hold validity and underscore the intricate balance the President currently needs to…

19 Sep

YOUNG OBSERVER | How young Namibians are making money online

Featured, National News, Opinions

Online boutiques From bags to shoes and clothes, young Namibians have taken on the fashion industry through the popular “order with me”. Below are some boutiques you can check out: @sassy_styles @ester_s_closet Content creation Whether it is a wedding, proposal or birthday party, you no longer have to hire a professional videographer to capture moments on your special day because you can simply have a content creator who is well equipped with the latest iPhone and a ring light. Not only do you get content in real time, but online SBWL’ers can also watch your day unfold on Instagram. Here…

18 Sep

Capitalism being the root cause? Deal with it!

Opinions

Kae Matundu-Tjiparuro Most recently, Yours Truly Ideologically stumbled on social media upon a video interview with an Afro-American granny-sister, Samaria Bailey, now 75-years-old, reminiscing about her childhood. When as a child she was made to follow her mother, who had a bag on her back, in the cotton field during the days of slavery. A bag in which the little Bailey had to throw in cotton picked from the field. The interesting thing about her is that in her reminiscence she found nothing wrong with this, nor with her mother and/or parents, enslaved as they were by the American system…