Government – Windhoek Observer

18 Aug

Government, Peugeot Opel to decide plant future

ObserverFeatured, Observer MoneyGovernment

Chamwe Kaira With the future of the Peugeot Opel Assembly plant hanging in the balance, the government and PSA Automobiles, the two shareholders on the plant are expected to hold crucial talks that will determine the future of the plant. “The two shareholders have to meet and agree on the way forward. That is all, I am allowed to say at the moment,” Michael Humavindu, deputy executive director of industrialisation and enterprise development at the Ministry of Industrialisation and Trade said this week. Humavindu is also a board member of the company. It is not clear when the shareholders will…

05 Oct

No special procurement for NDF vaccines

ObserverObserver MoneyDefence and Veteran Affairs Minister, Frans Kapofi, Government

Eba Kandovazu GOVERNMENT will not spend additional funds for the procurement of sufficient vaccines to vaccinate all soldiers in the country, following a directive that compels solders to get vaccinated. Defence and Veteran Affairs Minister, Frans Kapofi, says the ministry will make use of the available vaccines in the country. Last week, the Chief of Defence, Martin Pinehas, ordered the compulsory vaccination of all soldiers, as of last Wednesday. Pinehas says soldiers are at liberty choosing their preferred vaccines but only those with medical issues, with hypersensitivity and those allergic to vaccine components would be exempted. “No exemptions based on…

12 Sep

Cometh the hour cometh man/woman, is it the affected communities, Government or both?

ObserverUncategorisedGovernment

“Cometh the hour, cometh the man/woman”, is an idiom often used to describe the phenomenon, that sometimes when a hero is needed one appears. This Tuesday, as has long been expected, the Minister of Defense and Veteran Affairs, Frans Kapofi, gave notice to the effect of tabling details on the Draft Genocide Deal. That this notice was given by Kapofi, something that some of the political parties in the National Assembly (NA) seem to be having an issue with, is immaterial. What matters is that the avowed deal is now in the NA against the best advise, wishes and pleas…

27 May

Amupanda sues Govt over ‘Red Line’

ObserverObserver MoneyGovernment, Job Shipululo Amupanda, Red Line, Windhoek Mayor

Rose-Mary Haufiku Windhoek Mayor, Job Shipululo Amupanda, is suing Government, challenging the continued existence of the “Red Line”, also referred to as the Veterinary Cordon Fence (VCF) more than a 100 years after regulations supporting its existence were enacted. The legal action by Amupanda comes after this month he had his meat valued at N$1000 confiscated at the Oshivelo checkpoint when he was returning to Windhoek from the north of Namibia. “The Plaintiff is therefore aggrieved and is entitled to approach the honourable court in terms of Article 25 of the Namibian Constitution for an order declaring the conduct of…

21 May

SPYL livid over sodomy law reforms

ObserverObserver MoneyGovernment, SPYL, Swapo Party Youth League (SPYL)

Andrew Kathindi The Swapo Party Youth League (SPYL) has hit out at plans by Government to undo a law that has made sodomy in the country illegal, calling the practice satanic. “We would like to express our dissatisfactions on the prioritising of motions / bills in the National Assembly (Parliament). SPYL is sickened by the discussion of homosexual(sic) in the August house which supersedes as matters of urgency,” Ephraim Nekongo, SPYL Secretary said. Nekongo’s comments come as Justice Minister, Yvonne Dausab, on Monday 17 May received a submission from the Law Reform and Development Commission (LRDC), which included a report…

19 May

Public service wage bill to cost N$29 billion this year

ObserverObserver MoneyGovernment, Iipumbu Shiimi, Minister of Finance

Kandjemuni Kamuiiri It has emerged that Namibia will fork out a total of N$29 billion for salaries and benefits for its civil service this year, which translates into about N$2.4 billion monthly. According to the Minister of Finance, Iipumbu Shiimi, “annually we spend N$29 billion and if you divide that by 12 it would roughly be N$2,4 billion to N$2,5 billion monthly, same goes for last year. It’s more or less the same.” This revelation has raised concern whether Government could afford it considering its precarious financial position, with the minister maintaining that Government will still continue to honour bonuses,…

28 Apr

Namibia lags behind in herd immunity target

ObserverObserver MoneyChina, Covid-19, Government

Rose-Mary Haufiku It’s going to take Government nine years to reach 1,700 000 people it has targeted to vaccinate across the whole country. This is because the Ministry of Health and Social Services (MoHSS) has to date vaccinated 14,069 people against COVID-19 since the rollout began on 19 March. Health minister, Kalumbi Shangula, previously stated that Namibia would need to vaccinate 70 percent of its estimated 2.5 million population to reach herd immunity. Herd immunity (population immunity) is the indirect defense against an infectious disease that occurs when a population has gained immunity to the disease, either by vaccination or…

09 Apr

COVID saves Govt millions in S&T

ObserverObserver MoneyCovid-19, Government, Ministry of Finance Spokesperson, Tonateni Shidhudhu

Kandjemuni Kamuiiri The restrictions on travel due to COVID-19 have saved government N$105.7 million in travel allowances. According to Ministry of Finance Spokesperson, Tonateni Shidhudhu, a 34.06 percent cost saving was achieved in 2020/2021 compared to the last financial year’s (2019/2020) expenditure. He added that a 56.81 percent saving had been achieved for the Daily Subsistence Allowance (DSA) compared to the last financial year. Shidhudhu said only 51.33 percent was spent, of which DSA gobbled up over N$105 million for the period April 2021 to December 2021, compared to the N$243,1 million ,of which 78.4 percent was spent from the…

26 Feb

Dark days loom for Government ministries …as government owes City N$82 million bill

ObserverObserver MoneyCity of Windhoek, Government, Harold Akwenye

Andrew Kathindi The Windhoek Observer can reveal that government is in arrears of over N$82 million to the City of Windhoek (CoW), a position which saw electricity disconnected at more than eight government ministries and agencies on Thursday. Government’s woes are, however, expected to mount as CoW has vowed to continue with disconnection at other ministries next week. “The total debt owned by Government is N$ 82 million to date, although the suspension of electricity services was scheduled to start yesterday (Wednesday), it has only commenced today and will continue next week,” City spokesperson Harold Akwenye said. On the individual…

19 Feb

Government stands firm on Air Namibia liquidation

ObserverObserver MoneyAir Namibia, Finance minister, Government, Iipumbi Shiimi

Andrew Kathindi The Government is not backing down from its decision to voluntarily liquidate Air Namibia, after Finance Minister, Iipumbi Shiimi, yesterday (Thursday) defended government’s stance on the matter. “At this stage, the country’s economy can no longer afford to perpetually provide financial support to Air Namibia at the expense of supporting economic growth and critical social services. It is, therefore, with that consideration that government took a decision to file for the voluntary liquidation of Air Namibia,” said the Finance minister. This comes as Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa was also quoted by the local media saying government will not…