Opinions – Page 2 – Windhoek Observer

28 Aug

NSA EMBARKS UPON THE NEXT STATISTICAL PROJECT

ObserverOpinionsNamibia Household Income and Expenditure (NHIES)

Iipumbu Sakaria The NSA will be conducting the Namibia Household Income and Expenditure (NHIES) during 2025 / 26. The NHIES is the primary source of data on income, wealth and expenditure in Namibia and is instrumental in calculating poverty indicators at both household and individual levels. This will be the fifth NHIES to be conducted in Namibia since independence. The NHIES is important because it helps in understanding income distribution, measuring poverty and analysing consumption trends, hence enabling governments to design effective social and economic policies and allocate resources efficiently. The information that will be collected includes information on various…

23 Aug

The path to agricultural prosperity: A regional perspective on import bans in Southern Africa

ObserverOpinions

Benedick Moody Louw In a recent post on X, Wandile Sihlobo, Chief Economist of the Agricultural Business Chamber of South Africa highlighted the growing tension between South African agriculture and the neighboring countries of Botswana and Namibia over the latter's bans on imported vegetables. Sihlobo argues that such bans undermine regional agricultural cooperation and pose significant challenges to South African farmers. He acknowledges the political and economic motivations behind these bans but emphasizes the need for a balanced and cooperative response from South Africa. This article aims to provide a comprehensive response from the perspectives of Namibia, Botswana, the Southern…

22 Aug

Democratic Elections: A pathway for Namibian youth to transcend the zone of non-being

ObserverOpinions

Sakaria Johannes Frantz Fanon, a towering figure in decolonial thought, introduced the concepts of the "zone of being" and the "zone of non-being" to describe the existential realities shaped by colonialism and its enduring legacies. These terms encapsulate the different ways people experience the world based on their social, economic, and political positioning within a society deeply influenced by colonial history. Zone of being The "zone of being" is a space where individuals are fully recognized as human, enjoying the rights, privileges, and dignity that come with this recognition. In the colonial and postcolonial contexts, this zone is typically reserved…

22 Aug

Mainstream media sustainability amid digital transformation

ObserverOpinions

Festus Nakatana It is a challenging time for media operations everywhere. Printed media sustainability has been sliding towards the abyss due to declining advertising revenue, reduced circulation, and loss to technology giants. Advertising revenue, in particular, is the lifeblood of newspapers’; ability to remain profitable. This reality rings true in Namibia, considering that circulations of virtually all mainstream print titles are in alarming decline. While some popular media outlets have fully adopted new technologies and advertising models to diversify revenue streams, many are still struggling. They are left to fend for themselves, with no new revenue streams to reshape operations…

22 Aug

OPPORTUNISM VS ADVENTURISM

ObserverOpinionsNyiko Floyd Shivambu, uMkhonto Wesizwe

Paul Shipale After Former EFF Deputy President Nyiko Floyd Shivambu’s decision to leave the Red Berets for uMkhonto Wesizwe (MK) party, addressing a press conference on Thursday, EFF leader Julius Malema attempted to put on a brave face saying this was not the end of the road for the EFF. Malema expressed his disappointment at Shivambu’s resignation from the party when it has been deemed to be at its weakest since its formation in 2013. Shivambu’s departure left a leadership vacuum in the EFF and put the party in an even tougher position leading up to its elective conference in…

22 Aug

Same vigour necessary to preserve resources as looking for investors

ObserverOpinions

Kae Matundu-Tjiparuro There can be no better time than now for the country to be become more vigilant over its natural resources and with the same vigour that it is currently crisscrossing the globe like the late President Dr Hage Geingob did looking for investors to tap into the rich natural resources of the country. And there can be no better generation than the current and future one to do this. Because it behooves them to ensure that such natural resources are preserved for future generations, which is none other than them. One cannot but notice that currently it is…

21 Aug

The State of Decoloniality in Namibia

ObserverOpinions1884-1885 Berlin Conference, Colonialism in Africa, Roman-Dutch common law

Tomas Nashongo Decoloniality, a response to the lingering effects of colonialism, seeks to emancipate societies from the pervasive influence of colonialism and its lasting impacts. As defined by Ndlovu- decoloniality involves the deepening of decolonization efforts in regions that endured the slave trade, imperialism, colonialism, apartheid, and neocolonialism. The concept not only aims to liberate these regions from colonial rule but also to detach them from entrenched Western ideologies and influences. This essay examines the state of decoloniality in Namibia by exploring the transition from colonialism to decoloniality and analyzing the remnants of colonialism within the country's power structures, knowledge…

21 Aug

The Urgency of Building a Nation Brand for Namibia: How Brand Namibia can improve its global competitiveness to attract investment and tourism

ObserverFeatured, OpinionsVictoria I. Shimweefeleni

Victoria I. Shimweefeleni Often, when the term “brand” or “branding” is mentioned, it is mistakenly narrowed down to a specific attribute like a logo, name, design, or even a social media post, packaging, or signage. Although the term brand encompasses numerous definitions, in essence, a brand serves to communicate a unique narrative to customers or target market, foster trust, shape perceptions, and cultivate relationships with them. This makes branding imperative, as it elevates the offering, presenting an opportunity to differentiate it apart from its rivals. Let’s talk nation branding Just as products and services can be branded, so too can…

20 Aug

Equality at the Olympics: Can Media Replicate?

ObserverOpinionsParis 2024 Olympic and Paralympic

Yemisi Akinbobola The Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic games saw a historic 50:50 representation . To show just how far we’ve come, compare it with 2.2% female representation among athletes in the 1900 Olympics. Whilst we celebrate this achievement with the world, unfortunately, gender eligibility was the issue that dominated the headlines, resulting in a barrage of online attacks on Algerian boxer Imane Khelif. Khelif’s story is not new to the experiences of African women athletes. Women like Caster Semenya (South Africa), Beatrice Masilingi (Namibia), Aminatou Seyni (Niger), Annet Negesa (Uganda) and Maximila Imali (Kenya) have all been prevented from…

15 Aug

Nationalisation in best interest of people or capitalism in the best interest of investors?

ObserverOpinionscapitalism, nationalisation

Kae Matundu-Tjiparuro What are Namibia’s economic priorities, especially as far as it relates to the owners of her natural resources who in the past did not only benefit from them but were also dispossessed of them and alienated from the? This question is utmost pertinent in view of the seeming lack of transformation in Namibia. Not only in view of this only but also cognisant of the overzealous search for investors. Whose investing in Namibia seems to be tilted more in their own interest then in the best interest of the country in terms of the benefits from the investments…