Opinions – Page 5 – Windhoek Observer

26 Aug

DAILY OBSERVER | Prime minister’s kindness: time for a rethink?

Editorial, Featured, Opinions

Prime minister’s kindness: time for a rethink? When President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah took the oath of office, she pledged inclusivity and fairness as guiding principles for her administration. “No special treatment” was her rallying cry, meant to signal a new era in which the government would lead by example, not by exception. Yet, one long-standing tradition continues to sit awkwardly alongside that promise: the so-called prime minister’s kindness. This is the practice of allowing public servants to leave work early, sometimes at 10h00, sometimes at 14h00, on the eve of public holidays. The reasoning has always been straightforward: give workers a…

25 Aug

DAILY OBSERVER | Steering Namibia’s Oil with an Unusual Crew

Editorial, Featured, Opinions

Namibia’s oil and gas sector is standing on the edge of history. For decades, we dreamed of “the big find,” and now that dream is reality. Oil is no longer a rumour off our shores, it’s here, commercially viable, and promising to change the face of our economy forever. But here’s the catch: how we manage this industry from day one will determine whether Namibia becomes a success story or just another African country that struck oil and ended up poorer for it. That’s why leadership matters. The people at the top set the tone, negotiate the deals, and decide…

22 Aug

DAILY OBSERVER | Let Netumbo Be Netumbo

Editorial, Featured, Opinions

In Namibia, politics is as much a national pastime as it is the engine of governance. The moment a new president assumes office, our collective curiosity shifts into high gear. Who will be appointed to Cabinet? Which familiar faces will be retained, and which newcomers will find themselves elevated to positions of influence? For weeks, conversations across dinner tables, taxis, shebeens, and WhatsApp groups circle around the same subject: who’s next? Who are the new ambassadors? This chatter is not unique to Namibia. In every democracy, the arrival of a new leader generates speculation, innuendo, and even misinformation. But in…

22 Aug

Diamond of the Month: August 2025 Celebrating Namibian Excellence

Opinions

Diamond Training Institute Diamond Training Institute proudly recognizes Chef Elizabeth Puleni Taati Isai as the Diamond of the Month for August 2025, honouring her remarkable achievement at the World Chefs Global Chefs Challenge—Africa and Middle East Semi-Finals in Sharjah, where she secured first place. Her victory is a shining moment not only for her career but also for Namibia, as it underscores the nation’s ability to produce world-class talent capable of competing at the highest levels of excellence. Chef Isai’s story is one of perseverance, growth, and an unyielding dedication to her craft. From the early days of her career,…

21 Aug

Namibia’s uranium: a critical analysis of sovereignty and exclusion in the global nuclear landscape and a leverage in geo-politics

Featured, Opinions

PAUL T. SHIPALE (with inputs by Folito Nghitongovali Diawara Gaspar) The intricate tapestry of international relations frequently reveals paradoxes that defy apparent logic. At the epicenter of such an enigma lies Namibia, an African nation blessed with vast uranium reserves, a mineral of unquestionable strategic importance for the growing demand for nuclear energy. However, despite its prominent position as the third global supplier of Uranium, which is also used in researcher reactors for cancer treatment, followed by Niger in Africa at sixth position globally out of 195 countries, 85% of which do not even have Uranium like Estonia, Cyprus etc. yet…

21 Aug

Municipal services: are citizens being served or penalised?

Opinions

Ester Shafashike Article 18 of the Namibian Constitution guarantees individuals the right to a hearing whenever administrative officials act unfairly. Furthermore, Article 95(e) obligates the government to ensure that all citizens have fair and reasonable access to public facilities and services. Despite these constitutional guarantees, it appears that such rights are either unknown or deliberately ignored by some local authority practitioners and town council members. Admittedly, the Local Authorities Act grants local councils the discretion to formulate by-laws aimed at sustaining and maintaining towns and villages. However, I am of the opinion that these bylaws should not disadvantage residents or…

21 Aug

OBSERVER DAILY | WHO IS CHECKING THE CHECKERS?

Editorial, Featured, Opinions

Namibia has always prided itself on being a nation rooted in law and democratic values. We boast a Constitution that is admired across the continent, and institutions that, at least in principle, should safeguard our democracy from the kind of arbitrary governance that has destabilised so many of our neighbours. Yet, every so often, we are reminded that even in Namibia, leaders sometimes forget that power is borrowed, not owned, and that authority must be exercised within the guardrails of law. The latest controversy surrounding Urban and Rural Development Minister James Sankwasa is a case in point. On 15 August, a…

20 Aug

National Youth Council paralysis: Steenkamp and Balloti must act, not watch

Editorial, Featured, Opinions

The National Youth Council (NYC) has collapsed into paralysis. What was supposed to be the engine of young voices in Namibia is now a cautionary tale of dysfunction, governance failures, suspended directors without due process, missing financial reports, and youth openly defying ministerial appointees. The picture is one of decay, not leadership. Now, with minister Sanet Steenkamp and deputy minister Dino Balloti at the helm of the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture, the country expects more than sympathetic statements and administrative tinkering. This is the moment for them to lead decisively, because NYC cannot continue like this. Dysfunction in…

20 Aug

Youth forum launches energy awards

Featured, Observer Money, Opinions

Staff Writer The Namibia Youth Energy Forum (NYEF) will host the Namibia Energy Connect and Energy Trailblazer Awards 2025 from 4 to 5 November at Droombos in Windhoek. NYEF said the initiative is not a conventional energy summit but a national platform designed to bring together Namibia’s energy leaders for reflection, collaboration, and celebration. "It is the first of its kind, uniting stakeholders from oil and gas, renewable energy, green hydrogen, and energy services to shape the country’s energy future." the forum stated The event is expected to attract over 1,000 participants, including energy companies, service providers, government leaders, youth,…

20 Aug

Love, hustles, and household budgets

Featured, Observer Money, Opinions, Uncategorised

Hileni Amadhila We often think love lives in flowers, laughter, and late-night chats, but in real life, it also lives in the rent, the groceries, the school fees, and the “Can we help at home this month?” calls. And in Namibia today, the financial side of love can be just as intense as the romantic side. The 2024 Old Mutual Namibia Financial Services Monitor shows that over half of working Namibians feel financially stressed, with rising costs and slow income growth piling on the pressure. At the same time, almost a third of working adults have more than one income…