Opinions

Paul T. Shipale (with inputs by Folito Nghitongovali Diawara Gaspar) Protecting Justice Without Redesigning Power: A Reflection on Judicial Security, Executive Incentives, and Constitutional Balance the tragic death of Prosecutor Justine Shiweda is a national wound. She was a regional control prosecutor at the Ondangwa Magistrate’s Court, a senior prosecutorial position indicating that she likely managed a significant caseload while supervising other prosecutors. She indeed stood at the front line of criminal accountability. No magistrate. No prosecutor. No judicial officer should face mortal danger for fulfilling a constitutional duty. In this regard, both the president and the chief justice said…

Sakaria Johannes The recent directive by the Ministry of Health and Social Services requiring government employees to seek treatment in public hospitals has generated considerable public debate. At the heart of the discussion lies a tension between equality and efficiency. Some civil servants argue that, as contributors to the state machinery and providers of essential services, they deserve priority or differentiated healthcare access. Others maintain that public institutions should serve all citizens equally, without hidden hierarchies. This policy can be meaningfully examined through the philosophical framework of Frantz Fanon, particularly his concept of the “zone of being” and the “zone…

Faizel Patterson  The recent implementation of a new national minimum wage for the security industry is, without question, a welcome and necessary step towards social justice for some of our nation’s most essential workers. Both employers and employees agree that better pay is a shared goal. However, the public discourse surrounding its implementation has been dangerously simplistic, ignoring a complex economic reality that, if mishandled, could trigger the very crisis it seeks to prevent: mass unemployment. Approving a wage increase is easy. To implement it sustainably is hard. The inconvenient truth is that for any service-based company, from security to…

Fransina Kahungu Secretary; Swapo Party Women’s Council for too long, the language of women’s empowerment has been framed around assistance, access and inclusion. We speak of women as beneficiaries of land reform, beneficiaries of grants, beneficiaries of procurement quotas, and beneficiaries of training. While these interventions have been necessary and meaningful, they cannot be the ceiling of our ambition. In March 2025, Her Excellency Dr Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah was sworn in as the first female president of the Republic of Namibia. Her leadership symbolised progress, unity and national pride. A stark reminder that women are not in leadership positions for pity,…

Kae Matundu-Tjiparuro Beginning in March, on the second of March to be exact, hybrid discussions shall be taking place in the German capital of Berlin, to be hosted by the German Parliament, the Bundestag’s parliamentary group of the Green Party, Die Grüne. According to the purpose of the discussions, to which a fellow descendant, Jephta Nguherimo, shall be amongst the participants, it is for the party to gain further insight into the state of the negotiations on the genocide of the Ovaherero, Ovambanderu and Nama.  “We want to discuss how the reconciliation between Germany and Namibia can finally begin, and…

PAUL T. SHIPALE (with inputs by Folito Nghitongovali Diawara Gaspar) Reflecting on the benefits of former presidents, especially President Nangolo Mbumba Before engaging the proposed subject matter, it is important to pause and reflect on two significant public remembrance events held last week. A military funeral was accorded to former minister Erkki Ndineinge Nghidipohamba ya Nghimtina, who was laid to rest at the Eenhana Memorial Shrine on Saturday, 21 February 2026. We equally acknowledge the unveiling of the memorial tombstone for the victims of the 19 February 1988 Oshakati Barclays Bank bomb blast, now known as First National Bank (FNB),…

We are no longer interested in exporting raw materials, Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema recently told the United Nations Trade and Development (UNCTAD). Hinting that Africa has “now awakened and is no longer interested in exporting raw materials but yearn for discussions that lead to adding value to its economies”. Adamant and boasting that the continent is now speaking one language and wants everyone including ordinary citizens to feel the benefit of its mineral endowment. “We don’t want to talk and keep attending conferences and yet the man in the street can’t feel the benefit of the mineral endowment that we…

Paul T. Shipale (with inputs by Folito Nghitongovali Diawara Gaspar) Namibia stands on the brink of a once-in-a-generation opportunity. Billions of dollars could flow from oil and gas resources, but who controls that wealth, and how it is managed, will determine whether this opportunity becomes a blessing or a curse for generations to come. This week, the National Assembly debated the Petroleum (Exploration and Production) Amendment Bill, a law that proposes shifting authority over the oil and gas sector from the Ministry of Industries, Mines and Energy to the Presidency. Supporters argue that centralising power ensures faster decisions, coordinated leadership,…