Namibian

13 Dec

German-Namibian Joint Declaration antiquated model of international law

ObserverObserver Money, ,
Staff Writer THE Joint Declaration between the Namibian government and its German counterpart is based on an antiquated model of international law and more than anything meant to force the Ovaherero and Nama into submission, says UK-based Reparations Specialist and Scholar-Activist, Esther Stanford-Xosei. She was among panelists from the Diaspora of the United Kingdom and Botswana, joining descendants of the victims of the Ovaherero and Nama genocide in Namibia to observe the International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide, and of the Prevention of this Crime, last Thursday, 9 December. Thereby interrogating the…
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10 Oct

Hair today, gone tomorrow

ObserverUncategorised,
The Time Traveler: Hugh Ellis The Namibian media last week reported that about sixty pupils who were sent home from Outjo Secondary School for transgressing the school's rules on hair had returned to school. Said one of the boys: ‘We shaved our hair. Some of us did not want to return to the school but we didn't have a choice so we shaved it.’ It was rumoured that one white pupil with long hair had not been sent home like black pupils were. The school principal, however, said, ‘that was not brought to my attention.’ The situation reminded me of…
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26 Sep

Workers are their own liberators

ObserverUncategorised,
Kae Matundu-Tjiparuro Concerning the drive towards a true and meaningful radical socio-economic transformation, to herald the Second Phase of the Namibian Revolution, which in Namibian political parlance has been hailed as the phase of the economic struggle or emancipation, Yours Truly Ideologically believes after 30 years of independence, and the obvious decadence and blatant ideologically retrogression, the jury has been out who can lead the Second Phase of the Namibian Revolution. The State or Namibian government, if any of its previous the self proclamations on socialism by some but few of the leaders, foremost of the leading liberation movements of…
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18 Sep

Avoid suspicion, be transparent and face the music

ObserverNational News,
The stories capturing headlines about an ‘oil exploration deal’ involving Recon Africa, a Canadian gas and oil company, are disturbing. The area targeted for drilling is one of the most environmentally sensitive conservation and wildlife areas in the country. More must be revealed about this story; there are many unanswered questions. Decision-makers seem to be caught up yet again in their unattainable obsession for secrecy. When will they learn to face the public with their plans and tackle issues directly? Namibia is reeling from COVID-19 and financial hardship. Fishrot and other corruption scandals have made the public distrust politicians and…
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17 Sep

“If I don’t win, it was rigged”

ObserverNational News,
The above words are perhaps the greatest modern-day threat to democracy. We all must be vigilant when anyone running for office says an election is rigged unless they win. We don’t have a perfect country, but it is the only one we have. Those claiming to be loyal, proud Namibians are obliged to make sure this country operates according to the constitution. Those proved to have broken the law or calling for the law to be broken, must be held accountable. In the USA, presidential candidate Donald Trump is stoking (and perhaps hoping for) a violent insurrection after national elections…
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25 Aug

With no money, choices are limited

ObserverNational News, ,
There is no doubt that auctioning fishing quotas is a step backwards in the government’s stated commitment since independence to Namibianise utilization of natural resources. Selling fishing quotas to the highest bidder regardless of where that bidder comes from, is not the optimal solution, but right now, it might be one of the only solutions left. With no money, choices are limited. Aspirations of complete black empowerment and national self-sufficiency have been overtaken by realities. Money is needed now. One can point to many causes that have led the country to this point. Drought, recession, the falling South African Rand,…
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31 Jul

Unleash the private sector for job creation

ObserverNational News,
A representative of one of Namibia’s long term development partners made a great comment. She said, “We are convinced it’s not governments that will create long-term employment opportunities that are needed; it’s the private sector.” Many have been screaming this point for decades. In the new normal, this reality will be shoved down Namibia’s throat forcibly. Government is basically broke as it struggles to find money to fund its deficits. It must spend the pennies it has left, not on direct employment projects, dropping bureaucratic barriers on the private sector. Allow service and product providers to get on with it.…
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25 Jul

Namibian Winter Time

ObserverUncategorised,
The Time Traveler: Hugh Ellis Have you noticed how hard it is to get out of bed, these winter mornings? How it’s dark and cold and windy when most of us have to get up? How, in many parts of the country, those learners who’ve been allowed to go back to school are going to school in the cold and the dark? That for many workers living at the far side of Katutura, winter means waiting for buses and taxis in the freezing dark? If only there was a solution? Oh, wait, there is! Or was. The sun rises ‘objectively’…
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26 Jun

National Resistance only first phase of National Revolution

ObserverUncategorised,
Kae Matundu-Tjiparuro Did March 21, 1990, the day of Namibian independence, usher in the first phase of the national revolution? Comes the question cautious to presume this may have been the case because of the lack of ideological clarity, if not lack of ideology all together in Namibia on national issues. There were two major epochs of national resistance. First against German colonialism and imperialism and occupation, and subsequently against the Apartheid South African regime’s occupation and de facto annexation of South West Africa as its first province. The National Resistance had in its first and launching stage vanguard true…
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06 Jun

Ripe for surveillance abuse – Unpacking Namibia’s SIM card registration limbo

ObserverUncategorised, , ,
Frederico Links Namibia is one of the last hold-outs on the African continent when it comes to mandatory SIM card registration, but indications are the country is now moving to officially operationalise such a system, even as the relevant sections of the enabling law remain in contention and state actors appear to be exploiting the partial legal vacuum. After more than a decade of foot-dragging, Namibian authorities now appear set on formally operationalising a mandatory SIM card registration regulatory mechanism, despite a legal quandary existing. The dilemma is that Part 6 (Interception of Telecommunications) of chapter five of Namibia’s Communications…
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