president Hage Geingob – Page 9

12 Sep

Stage 3 lockdown extended for 5 days

ObserverObserver Money//Kharas Region, Hardap Region, president Hage Geingob

Andrew Kathindi President Hage Geingob has once again extended the current stage three state of emergency lockdown to all 14 regions of the country. The extension is set to last for an additional five days. The existing state of emergency was supposed to lapse at midnight on Thursday 17 September, coinciding with the end of the six-month state of emergency period. “Regions which previously recorded lower cases, are now recording rising rates of infection. This is a matter of concern. New cases increased in the Kavango East Region by 138 percent, 78 percent in Otjozonjupa Region, 69 percent in //Kharas…

09 Sep

Venaani rules out support for lockdown extension

ObserverObserver MoneyMcHenry Venaani, Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) leader, president Hage Geingob

Helena Johannes Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) leader, McHenry Venaani has vowed that his party will not support any extension of the state of emergency, which President Hage Geingob instated earlier in the year. This comes as the President will require a two/third majority (66 members of the 95 voting members) to be able to extend the six month state of emergency which is set to lapse next week on 17 September. According to Venaani, his party will lobby other opposition parties against the extension of the state of emergency which will now require parliament approval. “The state of emergency and…

04 Sep

Complaints fly between Hengari and the media

ObserverNational Newspresident Hage Geingob, Press Secretary Alfredo Hengari

This week, a consortium of Namibian journalists wrote an extensive letter of complaint addressed to President Hage Geingob. They are asking for sanctions against Press Secretary Alfredo Hengari. It seems that a breaking point has been reached by those who sent the letter. They feel that they can no longer tolerate Hengari’s perceived snubs, prevarications, oversights, and high-handedness. We look at this issue from another angle. We see the legitimate irritation of our media colleagues with the Press Secretary as a part of the usual tug-of-war between the media and the president’s media coordinator. We support the journalists’ right to…

03 Sep

CoW stalls decongestion plan

ObserverObserver MoneyCovid-19, president Hage Geingob, Windhoek Mayor Fransina Kahungu

Andrew Kathindi The City of Windhoek has yet to take action on decongesting the informal areas of Windhoek amidst rising COVID-19 cases, nearly a month after President Hage Geingob gave the directive. Urban and Rural Development Ministry Executive Director (ED), Nghidinwa Daniel confirmed to Windhoek Observer last month that the ministry had given directives to the Windhoek local authority to implement the decongestion plan. Chairperson of the City management committee Moses Shiikwa had previously stated that implementation would likely take place at the end of August, as it would need to go through the channels, passing through the Committee before…

29 Aug

Namibia placed under national curfew ..as the country opens borders to tourists

ObserverObserver MoneyArandis, president Hage Geingob, STAGE 3, Swakopmund, Walvis Bay

Andrew Kathindi President Hage Geingob has extended stage 3 lockdown measures currently in place across the country’s 14 regions for an additional period of 14 days. The President has also extended the curfew, which was introduced on 13 August and currently being enforced in Erongo and Khomas regions, between 8PM and 5AM daily, to all 14 regions across the country. This comes as Geingob announced that Namibia has recorded five more COVID-19 related deaths, bringing the national death toll to 65. Namibia currently has the highest rate of new infections per population on the continent, and there are now confirmed…

14 Aug

Affected communities reject government efforts

ObserverNational NewsGermans, Namibia, president Hage Geingob

The most emotive and sensitive issues in Namibia are the genocide of 1904-1908 and reparations. This week, President Hage Geingob rejected a monetary offer by Germany as ‘reparations’ for genocide. Colonial Germany specifically targeted and killed tens of thousands of people. They stole everything these people owned. They engaged in a vicious military action that permanently drove thousands out of the country of their birth. Deutsche Welle (DW) announced the proposed amount was 10 million euros. Geingob declared the amount, “insulting.” But inside Namibia this issue runs deep. Communities of people directly affected by the genocide are not a part…

13 Aug

Namibia reverts to stage 3 restrictions

ObserverObserver MoneyArandis, Covid-19, Okahandja, president Hage Geingob, Rehoboth, Swakopmund, Walvis Bay, Windhoek

Andrew Kathindi President Hage Geingob ordered that the country revert to stage 3 of the state of emergency lockdown starting Wednesday midnight 12 August, amid rising COVID-19 cases in the country, particularly Windhoek. The lockdown according to Geingob, will last for 16 days and as part of the new dispensation, measures which were applicable to Walvis Bay, Swakopmund and Arandis have now extended to Windhoek, Okahandja and Rehoboth. The new measures include a curfew on the mentioned local areas which will prohibit the movement of people between 20:00 to 05:00 daily. “These have not been easy decisions to take, but…

12 Aug

The genocide negotiation boat is stuck: Forward Never Backward Never

ObserverUncategorisedGermany, Minister of Foreign Relations, Namibia, president Hage Geingob

Dr Rukee Tjingaete The boat carrying the team negotiating genocide reparations that consist of a section of the affected communities and the two special envoys representing the German and Namibian governments is stuck in the middle of the sea because the priorities seem wrong. They are dead-stuck on the issues of apology which in fact should not precede reparations. An accepted apology in many cultures implies that the complaint is amicably dealt with and it is over and any other compensatory action beyond that matter constitutes a sign of goodwill and may not be compulsory. The priority right now should…

12 Aug

Genocide reparations to fund regional projects

ObserverObserver MoneyGermany, Herero, Nama, president Hage Geingob

Andrew Kathindi Government has announced that repatriation funds from Germany for the genocide on Herero and Nama people at the start of the last century, when eventually received, will be used for costed projects from seven identified regions in the country. This comes as President Hage Geingob stated that the offer for reparations made by the German Government remains an outstanding issue and is not acceptable to Namibia in its current form, as negotiations continue. Germany made an N$206 million dollar (Euro 10 million) settlement offer as part of reparations. According to a statement by the Presidency, the Special Committee…

07 Aug

CoW CEO runs for calmer pastures

ObserverNational NewsCity of Windhoek, Police Chief Abraham Kanime, president Hage Geingob

It is no wonder that recently resigned City of Windhoek (CoW) Chief Executive Officer, Robert Kahimise has jumped ship. The worse job in Namibia is to be a CEO of a municipality or township or village. Who would choose a toxic work environment with stones being thrown from all sides? The skills-based portion of the CoW CEO job could be attractive to many seasoned, experienced city administrators. But, swimming through the effluent of political nonsense, power struggles, personality minefields, and entrenched long-serving bureaucrats is not worth it. Potential city executives out there who value their sanity, expect affirmation at work,…