Covid patient regrets party spree
My poor judgment has far-reaching consequences” John Paul Karuaihe III
- August 15th, 2020
- Login
My poor judgment has far-reaching consequences” John Paul Karuaihe III
The City of Windhoek has suspended its information and communication technology strategic executive following bribery allegations.
WALVIS BAY - A flamboyant pastor from Walvis Bay and his co-accused were denied bail yesterday during their first court appearance in the Walvis Bay Magistrate’s Court.
Pick n Pay Namibia yesterday announced it has retrenched 229 employees, citing unfavourable trading conditions.
The rift within the Grootfontein municipality has widened after the local authority this week slapped its finance executive Ileni Hainghumbi with charges of misconduct and insubordination.
The government has announced a dusk-to-dawn Covid-19 curfew in six local authorities, including the capital Windhoek, as coronavirus infections spiked to over 3 400 and 22 fatalities as at yesterday afternoon.
President Hage Geingob has strongly warned against irresponsible citizens, who could potentially spread Covid-19, by recklessly embarking on unnecessary travelling.
Zimbabwean banker and minority shareholder in the liquidated SME Bank Enock Kamushinda yesterday withdrew a N$57 million High Court lawsuit against the Bank of Namibia, while the liquidators are suing the businessman and other firms linked to the closure of the bank, for more than N$1 billion.
WALVIS BAY – Erongo governor Neville Andre yesterday made a commitment to address the poor housing situation in the region, which has seen thousands languishing in shacks.
WALVIS BAY – The fish quotas auctioning modalities and conditions should be adequately thought through and consensus should be reached with all relevant stakeholders in order to maximise government’s income while protecting jobs in the sector.
The Namibian government has maintained that the current offer for reparations over the 1904-1908 Ovaherero-Nama genocide by their German counterparts remains unacceptable.
The Namibia Tourism Board (NTB) has projected to collect only around N$8 million in levies due to the severe impact of the Covid-19, which has seen a number of hospitality and travel businesses closing shop.
SIKONDO - In a tragic incident that has shocked the Kavango West region, a 67-year-old woman, Alida Magdalena Venter yesterday allegedly shot and killed her husband before turning the gun on herself.
KEETMANSHOOP – Tributes poured in yesterday for the late Keetmanshoop Urban constituency councillor Maxie Minnaar who died on Monday in a Windhoek hospital. She was 47.
WALVIS BAY – The Covid-19 pandemic continues to pose a major public health threat as more workers tested positive for the virus in the country.
WALVIS BAY - Government is in the process of finalising several isolation facilities around the country.
The 2019 tourist statistical report shows that the tourism sector was still healthy and showing slight growth.
The Minister of Health and Social Services, Dr Kalumbi Shangula, announced the government will strengthen control measures in Windhoek and all regions to curb the spread of Covid-19.
GOBABIS - The first locally transmitted case diagnosed in Gobabis of a 44-year-old female that was reported on Sunday evening by the health minister has sent shockwaves throughout Omaheke.
The chairperson of the Electoral Commission of Namibia, Advocate Notemba Tjipueja, says the electoral authority will ensure that special arrangements will be considered to allow people to vote beyond polling places, like those under quarantine and in health facilities who have tested positive for Covid-19.
ONGWEDIVA – The directorate of health in Oshana region has appealed to contacts of confirmed positive cases of Covid-19 to cooperate and self-isolate when traced in order to curb the further spread of the virus.
The Minister of Health and Social Services, Dr Kalumbi Shangula, is concerned over the high number of Covid-19 cases recorded in Windhoek over the past week.
After having been dealt a hard blow in the lower court in July, former fisheries minister Bernard Esau and his son-in-law Tamson ‘Fitty’ Hatuikulipi have now approached the High Court appealing the court’s decision to deny them bail.
.jpg)
Delivery of serviced land, housing and sanitation has progressed in line with the targets set over the Harambee Prosperity Plan (HPP) term, this is according to the final report of the programme for the first phase.
OMUTHIYA – The Omuthiya town council has been operating without a substantive CEO for nearly a year now, as former chief executive officer Samuel Mbango continues to challenge the non-renewal of his contract in the labour court.
The Bank of Namibia (BoN) has once more clarified that online forex trading is not prohibited.
Parents and schools are reminded to ensure children between the ages of seven to 16 are, as per section 53 of the Education Act 2001, required to remain registered and have regular school attendance amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
The increasing number of reported retrenchments all over the country as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic are but the tip the iceberg.
.jpg)
The ministry of international relations yesterday said it would respect the Southern African Development Community (SADC) protocols before pronouncing itself on the unfolding political situation in Zimbabwe.
Windhoek City Police chief Abraham Kanime said his short-lived resignation earlier this year from the municipality was simply to cash in on his retirement benefits.
WALVIS BAY – Public primary schools in Swakopmund and Walvis Bay are under pressure as they have to find alternative ways to accommodate new enrolments for grades zero and one.
WALVIS BAY - Three more people have died of Covid-19, bringing the total number of deaths related to the pandemic in the country to 15.
The Covid-19 pandemic could drive the increase in acute hunger despite the country receiving improved harvests this year, Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa said yesterday.
Descendants of the 1904-1908 genocide in Namibia say they remain united against Germany in their pursuit of reparations for the colonial-era crime.
WALVIS BAY – Health minister Dr Kalumbi Shangula has warned Windhoek residents to refrain from large gatherings as Covid-19 cases surge in the capital city, escalating community transmission fears.
The Deputy Minister of Information and Communication Technology, Emma Theofelus, engaged in fruitful discussions with the regional staff of the Oshikoto office on ways the ministry can enhance its service to the nation.
The Landless People’s Movement has added its voice to the chorus of growing condemnation of the unfolding political unrest in Zimbabwe where multiple accusations of violations of human rights have been reported against the government and Zanu-PF functionaries.
An American national on trial for the assassin-like murder of Andre Heckmair in Windhoek nine years ago is fighting to be released on bail in the Windhoek High Court.
Three Zimbabwean nationals are living in fear after they allegedly received death threats following attempts to organise a solidarity march in Windhoek over multiple accusations of violations of human rights and corruption by the ruling Zanu-PF.
Founding President Sam Nujoma, in his birthday wishes to President Hage Geingob this week, said the head of state is up to the task to lead the country amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
ONGWEDIVA – The Ohangwena region will soon launch its water infrastructure master plan as part of a strategy to extend piped water to the four eastern constituencies, which currently depend on boreholes.
The City of Windhoek has managed to reduce its residents’ overall debt by N$96 million, mayor Francina Kahungu said yesterday.
Two Windhoek-based teachers who are working at the same school have tested positive for coronavirus, health minister Dr Kalumbi Shangula announced yesterday.
Pan Africa Women’s Organisation (PAWO) President Eunice Iipinge says the Covid-19 pandemic has the potential to derail the gains towards women empowerment.
According to the Presidency, the conduct of Haufiku was viewed as a distraction from the core responsibility of managing the Covid-19 pandemic successfully.
“The loss is really unbearable. I wish this never happened,” Andreas said.
Namibia Press Agency (Nampa) CEO Linus Chata says the national news agency has never victimised, disciplined, or fired any reporter for writing investigative stories critical of the government or any public office-bearer.
Eight contractors yesterday signed agreements with the National Housing Enterprise (NHE) towards phase one of the informal settlement upgrading project, which will see a total of 1 200 houses being constructed in Windhoek.
EENHANA – Ohangwena regional governor Walde Ndevashiya recently received multiple donations from the local business community.
WALVIS BAY – The Walvis Bay municipality says they are exploring the possibility of using a piece of land, belonging to the National Housing Enterprise (NHE) and which was earlier identified for temporary decongestion, to permanently resettle the residents of Twaloloka.
.jpg)
Education minister Anna Nghipondoka yesterday said the suspension of face-to-face classes for early childhood development, pre-primary and grade 1 to 9 learners for 28 days should not be considered as a holiday.
The Hospitality Association of Namibia (HAN) says it is delighted by government’s decision to gradually reopen borders to help revive the tourism industry.
.jpg)
The newly launched Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) president Dr Panduleni Itula has told the ruling party leadership to be prepared to meet him and his party at the ballot box, saying this time around the game plan would be different.
BEIJING – A group of 25 Namibian students studying in China will return to the country this week via Zambia.
.jpg)
In a bid to decongest hospitals and quarantine facilities, the government last week announced the isolation period for patients with confirmed coronavirus infections has been reduced to 10 days, while a negative test on the seventh day will end quarantine.
Namibia yesterday recorded an additional 66 confirmed cases of Covid-19, raising the tally to 2 052.
WALVIS BAY – Family and loved ones bade farewell to the 20-month-old toddler Fillipus Nafimane who was the only casualty in the devastating Twaloloka fire at Walvis Bay on Sunday.
President Hage Geingob yesterday instructed corporates and individuals not to place paid adverts in newspapers and other publications wishing him well on his birthday but instead to divert such money to the Covid-19 fight.
A new political party, founded by 2019 presidential candidate Dr Panduleni Itula, dubbed Independent Patriots for Change (IPC), will hold its maiden convention at a Windhoek hotel today.
The Namibia Institute of Pathology (NIP) will be extending its Covid-19 samples testing capacity to its laboratory at Oshakati in the Oshana region to reduce the backlog in the country.
.jpg)
WALVIS BAY – Health authorities yesterday announced that the recommended isolation period for patients with confirmed Covid-19 infections will no longer be more than 14 days. This is according to Dr Kaveto Sikuvi, from the health ministry.
A significant number of Covid-19 samples are being rejected by the Namibia Institute of Pathology (NIP) on a daily basis due to possible contamination.
.jpg)
Education minister Anna Nghipondoka is expected to make an announcement tomorrow on the state of readiness to reopen schools for grade 4, 5, 6, 8 and 10 learners.
Twaloloka residents who lost most of their belongings in a devastating fire on Sunday evening will have their national documents replaced at no cost, home affairs ministry executive director Etienne Maritz announced yesterday.
Omaheke governor Pijoo Nganate on Tuesday assured the local farming community the Namibian Police have heard their cries and measures have been put in place to address the high prevalence of livestock theft in the region.
WALVIS BAY – Cries of anguish reverberated through the informal settlement of Twaloloka in Walvis Bay yesterday as hapless residents sifted through ashes following a devastating fire on Sunday evening, which claimed the life of a one-year-old boy.
President Hage Geingob yesterday implored ruling party leaders to “bury” and end slate politics, which has left the movement deeply divided before and after the 2017 elective congress.
Twenty-four Covid-19 patients at Walvis Bay have recovered from the virus, health minister Dr Kalumbi Shangula announced yesterday as the country recorded 68 new positive cases.
.jpg)
RUNDU – An unemployed 30-year-old Sinyemba Muro Mukoso from Shamavinyo village in Mukwe constituency in Kavango East has pleaded with good Samaritans to assist with nappies, baby powder, soap, lotion and blankets among other essentials for her newly-born triplets.
.jpg)
Landless People’s Movement leader Bernadus Swartbooi says the Swapo-led government has failed the Namibian people.
WALVIS BAY - Namibia recorded another Covid-19 death, bringing to eight the virus deaths in the country while a record of 88 new positive cases were registered yesterday.
.jpg)
During the opening of the Swapo party post-mortem meeting which started on Saturday on the 2019 Presidential and National Assembly poll, President Hage Geingob confessed there are areas where the party had failed its members.
A family of five people including a one-year-old baby from Goreangab informal settlement were left out in the cold on Saturday after the City of Windhoek stopped Johannes Hamukoto from re-constructing a shack he was expanding.
Founding President Sam Nujoma did not mince his words when he spoke out against some ruling party members and supporters, saying he no longer wants to hear about Team Harambee and Team Swapo.
.jpg)
WALVIS BAY - Several residents from the coast took to the streets to protest against the lockdown of Swakopmund, Walvis Bay and Arandis while the rest of the country operates under relaxed measures.
.jpg)
NKURENKURU – Kavango West regional governor Sirkka Ausiku during her state of the region address last Wednesday noted more still needs to be done in Kavango West with regard to the provision of water to all inhabitants in the region, where many are without flushing toilets.
WALVIS BAY – At least 1 029 households will be temporarily relocated at Walvis Bay and Swakopmund as part of efforts to fight Covid-19.
First Lady Monica Geingos has penned an emotional letter expressing her heartfelt condolences to the mother of two-week-old Charmaine Moss, who died last week after she was allegedly sexually violated by her own father.
A top official at the Namibia Central Intelligence Service has been named as the new executive director of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) following a surprise reshuffle of accounting officers yesterday.
ONAMBANGO - Two children were killed in a horror midday house fire at Onambango in the Oshikoto region on Wednesday.
Governor of Hardap region Salomon April has promised to establish a regional think tank.
“We are prepared in the sense that this is the work we have been doing all along. Any influx of people, we are ready to clear them and render that service to the best of our ability,” Shampapi said.
…recorded N$41 million improvement on previous year
“In a political system that is characterised by chaos and electoral leadership that seemingly takes instructions from the Chinese embassy and Swapo headquarters, the need of waging a formidable election campaign
She said Kavango West is still highly rural, with high levels of poverty and unemployment.
“The use of an affidavit should not have been used in this case. It has left court hanging in the balance, as there are so many unanswered questions,” said Kesslau.
.jpg)
Addressing residents at a packed Nau-Aib stadium yesterday, Uerikua said the ministry of urban and rural development has already been instructed to start surveying land where landless residents of Okahandja could be relocated.
Following the league’s expulsion by the FA at the weekend, a move that has since technically reduced NPL to levels of a “bush league”
.jpg)
Ngaringombe said the party will allow all PDM members, supporters and sympathisers willing to serve their communities on a local or regional level to apply for nomination through an open application process that will be advertised through the movement’s social media platforms and print media.
The Grootfontein Swapo party district office is open to the public after a dramatic lockdown of the premises last Friday by disgruntled party members and sympathisers.
.jpg)
During oral submissions yesterday, their lawyer Richard Metcalfe said Esau and Tamson have proven they are worthy of being released on bail. Metcalfe submitted that Esau had an opportunity to evade the hands of justice between the period of his first arrest on 23 November 2019 and second arrest on 27 November the same year.
.jpg)
Former defence minister and the current Oshikoto governor, Penda Ya Ndakolo’s only asset to his name is a mahangu field, according to the 2019/2020-asset declaration for lawmakers.
“The situation has caused panic in the entire community as they can’t move freely, the elephants move in groups which make it difficult for people to move between villages in search of daily needs such as food, hospital visits and normal schooling for lower grades that opened in recent weeks,”
Prior to her suspension, she wrote a lengthy letter, in which she opened a can of worms at the parastatal for alleged unfair salary grades, lack of transparency, illegal recruitment processes,
OSHIVELO – Incidences of docket theft are rife at Oshivelo police station due to the lack of office space, where such confidential and crucial files could be safely kept.
WALVIS BAY – Devastated by the coronavirus pandemic, Walvis Bay residents have made a desperate plea for help as more test positive for Covid-19, while hundreds are forced to self-isolate.
Racism allegations have reared its ugly head at the Namibia Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), where the under-fire management has been accused of presiding over unfair salary grades, lack of transparency and questionable tenders, among others.
RUNDU - Hompa Alfons Kaundu, the traditional leader of the Mbunza authority in Kavango West region, said government has neglected his jurisdiction when it comes to infrastructure development.
OMUTHIYA - Oshikoto region has received a total budget allocation of N$280 million to be spent on capital projects for the 2020/21 financial year.
“They referred to him as a “ding” (thing) as if he doesn’t have family.
He snuck into the country, allegedly with the help of a police officer and was picked up by the former acting Fishcor CEO Paulus Ngalangi.
“Nowadays, it is the topical frontpage news of our daily newspapers and the weekly tabloids. There is no day or week that passes by without corruption cases being reported on. It is now the biblical “daily bread” of our nation,
“We already had 93% of HIV-positive women on antiretroviral and 97% of that number were already giving birth to HIV negative babies. We were only two countries Namibia and Botswana achieving that goal.
Chanting ‘legalise abortion now’, ‘reproductive justice now’, “get your policies off my ovaries, the marchers were joined by among others revered medical doctor Helena Ndume who also called on authorities to legalise abortion due to health implications associated with unsafe practices.
Mwatelulo wants the Windhoek chief magistrate to appoint a presiding officer who has not made any previous decision relating to cases in which he is an accused.
.jpg)
President Hage Geingob has strongly implored Swapo parliamentarians to stick to addressing issues in the National Assembly instead of resorting to personality clashes.
The Oshakati intermediate hospital in Oshana has revealed emergency vehicles, such as ambulances and buses, used for transporting patients from the region to referral hospitals in Windhoek, are unroadworthy and risky to drive.
Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP) president Mike Kavekotora yesterday said the party was troubled by the alleged bribery scandal implicating his two senior party leaders.
The City of Windhoek says residents will massively benefit from the smart city concept once fully operationalised, including access to a faster and cheaper internet service.
A 32-year-old man, who admitted to killing two people within 24 hours at a farm in the Rehoboth district nearly a year ago, was handed two life sentences in the Windhoek High Court yesterday.
Education ministry executive director Sanet Steenkamp said every teacher must have an academic recovery plan in order to accommodate pupils who could not resume face-to-face classes to catch up with others.
Anti-Corruption Commission director general Paulus Noa yesterday said the commission has opened a preliminary investigation into the alleged bribery scandal implicating a senior official of the City of Windhoek and two opposition politicians.
Tourism minister Pohamba Shifeta yesterday said although the government was hopeful of allowing an earlier phased opening of inbound tourists into the country, it was not practical to quarantine them for 14 days.
Windhoek High Court Acting Judge Eileen Rakow yesterday sentenced a 49-year-old man convicted of murdering Rehoboth farmer Joseph Adriaan Barth to an effective 20 years imprisonment.
Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP) leader Mike Kavekotora says Covid-19 cases at Walvis Bay are getting out of hand, accusing government of only announcing new infections without taking decisive action to mitigate the impact of the virus.
The National Unity Democratic Organisation (Nudo) has deployed itss investigators to determine the veracity of details emerging from one of Namibia’s biggest corruption scandals, dubbed Fishrot.
.jpg)
The Inspector-General of the Namibian police Sebastian Ndeitunga in a major re-organisation has appointed Commissioner Moritz Norres !Naruseb to head the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID).
Tourism and hospitality stakeholders have expressed their readiness to welcome international arrivals once Cabinet pronounces itself of the final modalities, including the quarantine period of such visitors.
In 2009, Hilma Jeremia gave birth to a baby girl named Josephina Johannes but she was left in disbelief because the baby had no limbs.
The chairperson of the National Council’s Standing Committee on Audit, Lebbius Tobias, has called on the immigration ministry to urgently erect a gate at the Mohembo border post in the Kavango East region.
A 44-year-old man from Walvis Bay is the second coronavirus-positive person to die in Namibia, health minister Dr Kalumbi Shangula confirmed yesterday.
NKURENKURU - The Namibia National Teachers’ Union (Nantu) and the Namibia National Student Organisation (Nanso) on Monday morning forced the closure of the Leevi Hakusembe Senior Secondary School in Kavango West region, sending grade 11 and 12 learners and teachers home.
.jpg)
Leader of Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) McHenry Venaani yesterday said the party’s top leadership resolved to appeal the judgement of three judges of the electoral court to remove six of its current parliamentarians and replace them with another six that were on the gazetted list before the November 2019 elections.
Parents of lower primary learners are worried about sending their children back to school as Covid-19 cases surge.
President Hage Geingob yesterday expressed condolences to his South African counterpart Cyril Ramaphosa following the passing of Zindzi Mandela, the daughter of South African anti-apartheid icons Nelson Mandela and Winnie Madikizela-Mandela.
WALVIS BAY – A Russian man, who is part of 126 foreign crew that arrived via a chartered plane in Windhoek last Friday, tested positive for Covid-19.
Opposition parties yesterday accused the ruling party of lacking political will to tackle corruption at the highest level. Leaders of the National Unity Democratic Organisation (Nudo), the Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) and Landless People’s Movement (LPM) yesterday spoke out against corruption, following President Hage Geingob’s announcement on Sunday that the party has not received any cent from Fishrot for its political campaigns.
The State will trace and add a new suspect to the list of men, accused of armed robbery at the Westlane Lifestyle Centre in Windhoek, nearly three years ago.
Swapo party yesterday refuted allegations that it got funds from the Fishrot scandal, with both President Hage Geingob and party Secretary General Sophia Shaningwa dismissing claims the party received funding through corruption-tainted politicians.
.jpg)
Political analyst Hoze Riruako believes the newly established Independent Patriot for Change (IPC) if approved by the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) will erode the support base of established parties in the country.
National Unity Democratic Organisation’s (Nudo) party has banned its veteran leader Vetaruhe Kandorozu from actively participating or contesting for any leadership positions within the party for two years, after he was found guilty of having de-campaigned his party during last year’s elections.
Covid-19 has not only affected the political and economic situation but it has posed new challenges to women empowerment, youth development, as well as employment, where many have been retrenched, said Chinese ambassador to Namibia Zhang Yiming.
.jpg)
One of the Fishrot accused Ricardo Gustavo is set to appeal the refusal to grant him bail by magistrate Johannes Shuuveni in the Windhoek High Court.
WALVIS BAY – Fishermen and trade unions have questioned the motives of players in the fishing industry who reportedly backtracked on an agreement to temporarily suspend any crew change involving foreign national seafarers.
Farmers in the north have initiated a project that collects food from fellow farmers to feed communities in need in the Erongo region, which is currently the epicentre of Covid-19.
Namibia’s ultimate authority to enforce compliance with financial regulations has instructed all medical aids to immediately address and eliminate unfair practices that favour group members with discounts compared to higher charges for individual members.
GROOTFONTEIN – “We are living on the mercy of God,” these were the words repeatedly said by a group of destitute people, including San community members residing next to the historical single quarters in Grootfontein, where they have set up ramshackle shacks.
OTJIWARONGO – Speaker of the National Assembly Professor Peter Katjavivi is hopeful the capacity-building workshop on sexual reproductive health and rights for members of parliament, currently in Otjiwarongo, will culminate into good legislation to tackle the many challenges Namibia is grappling with.
.jpg)
RUNDU – Some of the schools at Rundu have resorted to the double session system to conform to social distancing as lower primary learners resume face-to-face classes.
.jpg)
The legal battle for the Fishrot accused to be freed on bail has opened a can of worms after the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court was yesterday informed of the existence of over N$1 billion (US$63 million) reportedly linked to the international fishing scandal.
Grootfontein – Hundreds of Grootfontein residents on Tuesday marched to the municipality to demand land, saying many of the town’s destitute residents have resorted to squatting in cardboard boxes without basic services such as running water and sanitation services.
.jpg)
Three Windhoek City Police officers who were convicted of the murder of 17-year-old Mandela Ramakhutla in April 2013 were slapped with a 10-year effective jail term each by Windhoek High Court Judge Dinnah Usiku yesterday.
Local medical aid administrator Prosperity Health remains optimistic that objections raised regarding the tender to administer the government medical aid would be rectified in the near future as it is in the interest of the nation.
The Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) yesterday unveiled its Covid-19 draft mitigation strategy, which outlines specific plans that would be implemented to lessen the impact of the global coronavirus crisis ahead of this year’s regional council and local authority elections.
Fishrot accused Tamson ‘Fitty’ Hatuikulipi has offered unbonded properties valued at N$16 million as security to be released on bail.
Opposition parties in the National Assembly have threatened court action against Swapo over the composition of parliamentary committees after parliamentarians failed to agree on the nomination of members.
A report, confirming that the bullets that killed a 25-year-old student leader Helao Ndjaba were “most likely” fired from the firearm of Commissioner of Refugees Likius Valombola, surfaced yesterday in his murder trial currently underway in the Windhoek High Court.
Despite some challenges, it was relatively a smooth return to the classroom for lower primary pupils after months of closure intended to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
Oshakati High Court Judge Herman January granted the office of the prosecutor general leave to appeal the acquittal on murder and conviction on the culpable homicide of Omusati businessman Maurus Valombola.
WALVIS BAY – Government yesterday introduced additional measures to combat the coronavirus outbreak in the Erongo region, including banning movement among Swakopmund, Walvis Bay and Arandis as new infections surge.
Former cabinet minister Bernhardt Esau has bluntly denied using his office for personal gain, claiming he is an innocent man being targeted by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
.jpg)
The doctor who conducted the autopsy on slain student leader, Helao Ndjaba, said the bullet(s) caused so much damage in his left-brain that it was almost impossible for him to survive.
.jpg)
An association of struggle veterans and Council of Traditional Leaders have added their voices to the chorus of growing condemnation by Namibians shocked by the behaviour of Landless People’s Movement (LPM) party leader Bernadus Swartbooi who recently called the Founding President Sam Nujoma a “thug and liar”.
.jpg)
The Namibia Institute of Pathology (NIP) said it will now be able to test up to 700 Covid-19 samples a day after beefing up its capacity.
.jpg)
WALVIS BAY - The 18-bed field hospital put up by the Namibian Defence Force in response to the Covid-19 pandemic was handed over to the Erongo region’s emergency response team.
WALVIS BAY – Government would consider self-isolation and self-quarantine for people with suspected or confirmed cases of Covid-19 to ease the burden on the country’s healthcare system.
President Hage Geingob said the war memorial, the Heroes Acre on the outskirts of Windhoek, was not only for politicians but an ultimate location of burial for the country’s national heroes from all walks of life.
Former fisheries minister Bernhard Esau and his son-in-law Tamson Hatuikulipi, who were both arrested in November last year for alleged corruption, have approached the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court for bail consideration.
WALVIS BAY – A Swakopmund mother had to watch in horror as her four-year-old daughter tragically drowned on Saturday afternoon after she was swept away by a strong wave at the beach.
.jpg)
OMUTHIYA - Tempers flared at the Swapo Omuthiya district elective conference on Saturday, after things got heated between an aspiring candidate Armas Amukoto, regional coordinator Armas Amukwiyu and governor Penda Ya Ndakolo.
The education ministry through its regional directorates has supported schools with the procurement of appropriate health and safety equipment.
OMUTHIYA - A former regional councillor in the Oshikoto region, who was nominated to contest for the district coordinator position, has failed the vetting test for supporting Dr Panduleni Itula’s presidential candidacy last year.
A group of pro-life activists rallied in Windhoek yesterday against calls to legalise abortion.
The Office of the Founding President Sam Nujoma has branded the behaviour of Landless People’s Movement (LPM) members in the National Assembly this week as “unpatriotic and cowardly” after party leader Bernadus Swartbooi labelled the retired statesman a thug and liar.
According to Johannes Hausholo, tasked with roasting the dog, a strong wind blew over the fire as they were busy barbecuing the animal and the next thing they saw was a clump of grass burning and before they could do anything the blaze had spread all over.
The family of the late liberation struggle veteran, Paulus Mutiramo Muyamba, has been forced to live in a tent after authorities seemingly snubbed their request to renovate the roof of the house that was blown off by a strong gust of wind last October at Ndiyona settlement in Kavango East region.
Job losses in Namibia because of the Covid-19 pandemic have increased significantly since the start of the initial lockdown in March as businesses struggle to stay alive.
Speaker of the National Assembly Peter Katjavivi yesterday castigated and issued a verbal warning to Landless People’s Movement (LPM) leader Bernadus Swartbooi and his deputy Henny Seibeb over their “unbecoming” conduct in the August House this week.
James Hatuikulipi, one of the central figures in the multi-million-dollar fisheries bribery scandal called Fishrot, is at it again as he stands accused of attempting to tamper with the ongoing investigations by orchestrating misleading lies.
.jpg)
WALVIS BAY - The Namibian Defence Force has stepped in to assist health authorities at the coronavirus epicentre of Walvis Bay by erecting an 18-bed isolation facility.
Land reform minister Calle Schlettwein has urged regional governors to use land as a form of correcting past injustices while creating economic opportunities for disadvantaged Namibians to address inequality.
A joke that a woman who had tested positive for Covid-19 was a relative to a police officer caused an “embarrassing” false alarm at the Namibian police headquarters last week.
Members of the San community resettled by the government on the resettlement Farm Oerwould in Oshikoto are involved in selling portions of the land to well-off and prominent individuals that are land-hungry.
Schools and educational institutions providing early childhood development learning, pre-primary learning, and primary education at grade one to three levels will resume face-to-face learning next week 7 July.
The Windhoek Magistrate’s Court said it would not take the risk of granting bail to the suspended CEO of state-owned National Fishing Corporation of Namibia (Fishcor) Mike Nghipunya, pending the finalisation of his case.
National Council member of parliament Petrus Kavhura says he is stunned that Namibia continues importing maize and Mahangu as if the country does not have enough land, water and labour
Rundu informal settlement households will each get a tippy tap from the UNDP-funded program being implemented by a non-profit organisation called Development Workshop Namibia (DW), which will be donating 10 000 tippy taps to promote hygiene through handwashing.
.jpg)
The majority of the San elderly people at Olukula village in Okongo constituency in Ohangwena region are deprived of the grant privilege because they do not have national documents such as IDs.
Government has decided to construct 1 200 affordable homes, starting Thursday this week.
The Deputy Minister of Information and Communication Technology (MICT), Emma Theofelus, has been nominated for the One Young World Politician of the Year 2020.
President Hage Geingob yesterday joined several other African leaders in sending congratulatory messages to Malawi’s new President Lazarus Chakwera, on his victory in the country’s presidential elections re-run.
Roads Authority (RA) intends to spend N$1.4 billion in Oshikoto region as a remedial financial measure to upgrade poor road infrastructure in the region, with a larger chunk of the sum to upgrade the B1 freeway from Omuthiya to Oshakati to a dual carriageway.
Learners from pre-primary to grade 3 at 45 schools in Kavango West will continue learning from home because their schools could not meet the education requirements needed for schools to resume with contact lessons amidst the Covid-19 pandemic.
Grief-stricken Namibians from all walks of life have expressed their deepest condolences towards the family of the late educationalist and war veteran, Martin Lazarus Shipanga who passed away Sunday.
The Minister of Health and Social Services Dr Kalumbi Shangula yesterday announced that Namibia to date has 183 confirmed cases of Covid-19 of which 159 are active.
A 70-year-old widow from Nkurenkuru alleged she was left homeless after her in-laws and stepchildren kicked her out of the marital home she had shared with her late husband.
The police have concluded their investigations into the case of a teacher accused of fatally stabbing his wife multiple times and slitting her stomach in April last year.
Members of the Chinese business fraternity in the Zambezi region handed over food parcels with a combined value of $54 920 that will be distributed to poor households within the community.
.jpg)
The Deputy Minister of Works and Transport Veikko Nekundi last Friday officially opened the Namibian Traffic Information System (NaTIS) office in Okongo.
Campaigners from both sides of the abortion debate have had heated discussions in the last couple of days over the issue, which is now also a subject of deliberation in the National Assembly.
.jpg)
President Hage Geingob has offered his condolences to the family of Vehindira Uaripi Kambazembi following her passing on 18 June.
WALVIS BAY - A Walvis Bay-based fishing factory temporarily closed down yesterday after four workers tested positive for Covid-19, while 79 others were told to self-isolate pending their results.
A member of the National Council, Damian Nakambare, has expressed disappointment over a number of misspelt names on war veterans’ tombstones.
The ministry of education said there is nothing wrong with schools asking parents to sign indemnity forms in relation to Covid-19.
The Walvis Bay truck driver who was among the first residents at the harbour town to test positive for the fast-spreading Covid-19 feels he is being shunned, unfairly blamed and accused of spreading the virus.
The largest public tourism operator, the Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR), as well as the Hospitality Association of Namibia (HAN) have welcomed the tourism revival initiative set to take place between 15 July and 15 August 2020.
WALVIS BAY – About 655 fixed term workers will be laid off at the Walvis Bay-based Seaflower Pelagic Processing factory after government slashed the company’s quota by half.
The health ministry is working in synch with the UN health agency the World Health Organisation and other stakeholders to test 2 000 people for possible Covid-19 at Walvis Bay.
A number of parliamentarians this week supported the establishment of the African Medicine Agency (AMA), which will serve as the continental regulatory body of medicines and medical products.
Kavango East constituency councillor and National Council member Petrus Kavhura has bemoaned the delivery of national documents by the home affairs ministry in his constituency, describing it as “pathetic and unsatisfactory”.
The National Assembly has been approached to ratify an agreement between Namibia and the Russian Federation on the transfer of sentenced persons.
Unionists believe there would be significant job losses in the next weeks across all sectors of the economy after the Windhoek High Court yesterday declared a government proclamation, which sought to forbid retrenchments and salary cuts of employers during the state of emergency, as unconstitutional and invalid.
.jpg)
WALVIS BAY – Health minister Dr Kalumbi Shangula has urged citizens to play their part and protect themselves from Covid-19 as cases continue to spike.
The future for hundreds of sea fisheries workers in Namibia looks bleak and uncertain as most of the fishing companies will not be in a position to operate until the beginning of the new season when the dust has settled after new fishing quotas have been allocated.
President Hage Geingob has paid tribute to the loved ones of the late Republican Party (RP) parliamentarian Clara //Gowases.
The Access to Information in Namibia (Action) coalition yesterday expressed concern over the Access to Information Bill, calling on members of parliament (MPs) to refer it to a committee for fine-tuning.
The Zambezi region is in dire need of isolation beds to handle potential cases of Covid-19.
Parents will not be forced to send their children to school for face-to-face classes, President Hage Geingob announced yesterday. Many learners have not returned to the classroom since the Covid-19 outbreak in March this year.
San community leader at Ekoka village in Okongo constituency Festus Nakale is concerned about the early marriage of young children hastily being wed off by their parents.
In an attempt to rejuvenate the economy and trade in light of the Covid-19 pandemic, President Hage Geingob has announced plans to open international travel during the newly introduced stage five phase of fighting the coronavirus.
.jpg)
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) executive director, Hannu Shipena, strongly feels the proposal by the agency to trim down its budget on countrywide educational trips is premised on the fact such trips are a waste of resources.
Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) leader McHenry Venaani yesterday claimed the delay in the implementation of the Whistleblower Protection Act is proof that the governing party is not serious about tackling corruption.
.jpg)
WALVIS BAY – The local business community as well as the regional councillor for Walvis Bay Urban have blamed the health directorate in Erongo for the rising Covid-19 infections.
The Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) has confirmed it will use the manual ballot papers in the upcoming regional council and local authority elections, saying the electoral body would not be in a position to afford voter-verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) devices to allow for electronic voting.
RUNDU – Renowned educationalist Alfons Dikuua has been eulogised as a humble man with admirable emotional intelligence.
WALVIS BAY - Walvis Bay residents can breathe a sigh of relief as there will be no local authority tariff increase for the new financial year.
An employee of former justice minister Sacky Shanghala became the latest person to suffer a legal blow when the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court dismissed his bail application last week.
WALVIS BAY - The abandoned 150-bed isolation facility for Covid-19 patients at Walvis Bay has come back to haunt the region, which is fast becoming an infection hotspot.
.jpg)
The contentious topic of abortion returned to the front burner this week after gender minister Doreen Sioka came under fire for deeming the practise immoral.
Presidential advisor on health matters Dr Bernard Haufiku said it is too early to call the low-dose steroid dexamethasone a medical breakthrough for Covid-19 treatment.
Although the Affirmative Repositioning (AR) leadership says it is focused on the local elections in November, a political commentator is wondering whether AR will be able to translate its social movement politics into real national politics.
Retailer Pick n Pay said it was cutting about 25% of its workforce or roughly 500 jobs in light of plans to restructure the company “aimed at reversing losses and setting the business on the path of sustainability”.
Popular Democratic Movement leader McHenry Venaani has welcomed a decision by President Hage Geingob to approve the long-awaited establishment of the Office of the Leader of the Official Opposition, which will see the parliamentarian entitled to more perks.
The safety and security ministry has committed an amount of N$145 million towards the maintenance of the law-enforcement fleets, which includes over 3 300 vehicles, helicopters, boats and a vessel.
Information minister Peya Mushelenga has tabled the much-anticipated Access to Information Bill, which is envisaged to give citizens greater access to information.
WALVIS BAY - Poverty and inequality persist and the goal of securing a better life for all people, including the majority of young people in Walvis Bay, remains elusive.
The battle to recover over N$23 million paid to organisers of the Kora All-Africa Music Awards by the Namibian Tourism Board (NTB) will be heard in September in the Windhoek High Court.
National Council member Damian Nakambare has urged the industrialisation ministry to put measures in place to ensure some basic dairy products are produced locally.
Police chief Sebastian Ndeitunga yesterday confirmed that a man who tested positive for Covid-19 sneaked into the country illegally from South Africa with the help of a police officer and another man employed by a Lüderitz-based company.
Land reform minister Calle Schlettwein said government has only been able to acquire 3.3 million hectares of land for resettlement purposes against a target of five million hectares, which was supposed to be achieved by March this year.
.jpg)
The State is convinced that it has a strong case that will ultimately result in the conviction of Fishcor’s suspended CEO Mike Nghipunya.
A farmworker from the Maltahöhe district pleaded not guilty in the Windhoek High Court to a charge of murder over the death of the mother of his four children.
A resident of Westerkim Location in Karasburg had the necessary intent to kill his girlfriend when he repeatedly beat her, threw her on the ground and strangled her, a Windhoek High Court judge found when she convicted him of murder.
WALVIS BAY – The confirmation of a second positive case of Covid-19 involving a correctional facility officer has fuelled fears of community transmission at Walvis Bay.
The ministry of health is still considering the possible mass random testing of inhabitants of Erongo region, specifically in Walvis Bay, which so far has four positive cases of Covid-19.
Information minister Peya Mushelenga said his ministry would review the government’s social media use policy in order to stem the tide of fake news and misleading information.
A 72-year-old pensioner, Samuel Amunyela, resident of Elombe in Onayena constituency in Oshikoto region is among the subsistence rice farmers able to sustain his large family with proceeds from rice farming that he also uses for his own consumption.
The National Assembly yesterday observed a minute of silence in the middle of its sitting, following the death of Republican Party (RP) parliamentarian Clara //Gowases.
The Bukalo village council CEO, Martin Limbo, has allegedly refused to vacate office, despite his contract having come to an end last month.
A National Council member has proposed a minimum gambling age of 21 as part of measures to deal with the negative impacts of gambling.
.jpg)
Some educationalists in Okahao circuit in Omusati region are concerned that the conflict between 20 principals and the education inspector could have adverse effects on the academic environment, including affecting the morale of educators, the pace at which they work and teacher absenteeism.
Residents of Omatelekelo village in Ogongo constituency who have been risking their lives each day for the lack of a proper footbridge on the Calueque-Oshakati-canal are contented after NamWater constructed a proper bridge for residents.
Tributes and expressions of shock poured in as soon as the news of the passing of well-known Dr Helena Nkandi-Shiimi broke yesterday morning.
Swapo spokesperson Hilma Nicanor yesterday challenged anyone with evidence of corruption against the party to channel it through to the Anti-Corruption Commission for possible investigation.
A young girl, who was 13 years old when she allegedly witnessed the execution-style killing of her elder sister by a former paramedic in the Namibian Defence Force (NDF), recounted the ugly events that played out in 2018 when she testified before Windhoek High Court Judge Naomi Shivute on Friday.
WALVIS BAY – The Swapo Party Youth League (SPYL) in Walvis Bay has objected to the proposed 2020/2021 tariff increase by the local municipality.
.jpg)
Defence minister Peter Vilho says the escalating conflict in Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado province, in which Islamic State-aligned insurgents are causing havoc, is a serious cause for concern.
This past Wednesday marked exactly two months since Shannon Darlikie Wasserfall went missing without trace. Ironically, it was also her 22nd birthday.
.jpg)
Experts believe the country is reckoning with a rape problem. “We have had a rape crisis all this time. There is nothing new. It is an ongoing crisis,” said relationship consultant Ngamane Karuaihe-Upi.
The teacher suspended from Hillside Christian College, Corien Steenkamp is being dragged to court after she was charged under the provisions of the Racial Discrimination Prohibition Amendment Act.
Justice minister Yvonne Dausab has bemoaned the reduction in the budget allocation to her ministry’s directorates of legal aid and the civil litigation, saying that the current state of affairs will force experienced prosecutors to resign due to unconducive working conditions.
Information minister Peya Mushelenga yesterday announced the appointment of John Sifani as the board chairperson of New Era Publication Corporation (NEPC).
In just under a month, Kenya will be on the ballot for one of the five vacant slots reserved for non-permanent members of the United Nations Security Council.
One of the leading businesses in the country, the Pupkewitz Group, said it has decided to offer a voluntary separation to employees as it restructures part of its business due to the Covid-19 fallout.
The body of Zimbabwean street vendor Hlaisanani Zhou, who died after a vicious assault by several men last week in Otjozondjupa region, is expected to arrive by road in Zimbabwe, where burial is scheduled for today.
The director general of the Anti-Corruption Commission, Paulus Noa, said they know exactly where Fishrot-implicated lawyer Marén de Klerk finds himself in South Africa.
Suspended head of Nedbank Namibia’s SME business Nelson Simasiku has turned to the labour court in a bid to stop a disciplinary hearing against him, which he claims was “unlawful and contrary to company policies”.
Suspended Fishcor CEO Mike Nghipunya’s bail application was remanded until next week Tuesday for submissions on the ruling to be delivered by deputy chief magistrate Ingrid Unengu.
The country’s electoral body, the Electoral Commission of Namibia, received N$282 million in the current financial year, translating into N$62 million, more than the N$220 million allocated to the institution during the previous financial year.
The authorities in China will screen and recommend a shortlist of Chinese companies operating in Namibia for the much-anticipated upgrading and expansion of the Hosea Kutako International Airport.
Debbie Maxuilili Ankama, aged 62, has urged fellow Namibian pensioners to invest wisely into livestock and crop farming so that they become enablers for self-sustainability and, on the other hand, so that they meet government halfway in terms in food production and security for the entire country.
Landless People’s Movement (LPM) leader Bernadus Swartbooi yesterday said he does not have anger issues despite causing much of a stir in the National Assembly in recent weeks.
Air Namibia this week announced that it has discontinued all charter flights with immediate effect.
President Hage Geingob last week said Namibia is on the verge of achieving total HIV/AIDS epidemic control in line with the triple 90 goals, with the country’s HIV response standing at 94:96:95.
.jpg)
Although several Namibian nationals are working for regional and international organisations, it is still far below the desirable range.
President Hage Geingob yesterday said governmenet was forced to impose stricter restrictions by placing the entire Erongo region under lockdown, as a number of people were breaching lockdown rules aimed at curbing the spread of coronavirus in Walvis Bay
WALVIS BAY – The acting director of the National Heritage Council, Erica Ndalikokule, says public opinion bears much weight, especially when it comes to landmarks that are deemed offensive or declaring heritage sites.
The government has made available N$9.4 million towards public higher education institutions to mitigate the impact of Covid-19.
Namibia yesterday recorded two more new positive cases of Covid-19, bringing the total confirmed number to 31.
.jpg)
Flamboyant preacher Jackson Babi yesterday withdrew an urgent application that his lawyer Kadhila Amoomo had filed in the High Court last week to have his arrest and the search at his house declared as unlawful.
Landless People’s Movement (LPM) parliamentarian Utaara Mootu has urged government to pursue urban land-for-food programmes to promote township horticulture farming and food self-sufficiency.
The family of a Zimbabwean-born street vendor, who was assaulted and later succumbed to his injuries at Otjiwarongo last week, say they are devastated by how their loved one died.
Politicians and businessmen who are accused of receiving more than N$130 million in bribes for fishing quotas are likely to face more charges, an investigator of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) said last week.
President Hage Geingob said nobody can come between him and Damara leader Gaob Justus //Garoëb.
Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP) president Mike Kavekotora has said his party appreciates the efforts by government in fighting Covid-19 and using the budget as part of the ammunition in its arsenal to fight the pandemic.
National Unity Democratic Organisation (Nudo) leader Esther Muinjangue has called out her detractors and political rivals who claim her acceptance of a deputy minister position in the Swapo-led government was a sign she was joining the ruling party.
The Namibian Economic Freedom Fighters (NEFF) has raised concerns over the free market economy, saying it was denying Namibians fair access to common markets due to presence and competition from foreigners.
President Hage Geingob has lashed back at the stinging criticism levelled against his administration when it comes to fighting corruption in the public sector.
The German government has acknowledged the mass killings of the Nama and Ovaherero, more than 100 years ago as genocide and willing to apologise to affected communities, President Hage Geingob has said.
President Hage Geingob yesterday acknowledged the lack of affordable housing in the country is a well-documented problem and has seen the backlog remaining well above 300 000 units countrywide.
A 51-year-old vendor who was left with a broken leg after a suspected case of police heavy-handedness and brutality in an incident at his home in Havana informal settlement has opened a case of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm against law enforcement officers.
A family from Onekaku village in the Uukwiyuushona constituency of Oshana region lost its entire harvest after a mysterious fire broke out this week.
President Hage Geingob yesterday announced that the government has commenced work on precautionary measures and adjustments that will allow for the gradual reopening of borders for public travel.
Worthy investment… President Hage Geingob yesterday commissioned two facilities at the Windhoek Central Hospital equipped to deal with Covid-19 cases.
Public and private schools finally reopened yesterday for grade 11 and 12 learners as part of a phased return to the classroom after weeks of closure due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Fishrot accused were dealt a massive blow yesterday in the space of hours after a Windhoek magistrate initially ruled against their application to have charges against them temporarily withdrawn.
Education ministry executive director Sanet Steenkamp says the challenges at Onesi Secondary School in Omusati region will not be resolved overnight.
Local so-called prophet Jackson Babi and his co-accused Frizans Naululu Dumeni who were due to appear in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court yesterday for a bail application had their criminal case postponed to 24 July for further police investigations.
Landless People’s Movement leader Bernadus Swartbooi has suggested that a basic income grant of N$750 should be introduced for the next 24 months to cushion the impact of the Covid-19 on the less privileged.
Government, together with social partners and other stakeholders, should use the Covid-19 crisis as a wake-up call to strengthen its social protection systems, Swanu president Tangeni Iijambo said in parliament this week.
HENTIES BAY - The Henties Bay community has been petitioned to consider removing the infamous gallows at the coastal town, which according to petitioners represent a dark era in the Namibian history.
Namibians yesterday formed long queues at liquor stores as government eased Covid-19 regulations to allow the sale of alcohol to resume under looser restrictions.
The police in Ohangwena region said a 19-year-old woman, who claimed she was sexually exploited and abused by her close relatives, has refused to open assault cases against her grandparents.
The Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, yesterday urged “African-American sisters and brothers” to exercise restraint in vending their “legitimate and justified anger”. She, at the same time, expressed solidarity with African-Americans in the US.
The Hospitality Association of Namibia (HAN) says although Namibia received praise for jump-starting the local tourism sector by opening hospitality establishments, it wants to see an orderly and responsible reopening of the country’s borders to reinvigorate the crucial tourism sector.
Government should prioritise setting up wellness centres for truck drivers at Noordoewer and Ariamsvlei border posts to curb the spread of Covid-19.
As President Hage Geingob prepares to present his State of the Nation Address in the National Assembly this Thursday, political commentators expect the head of state to zoom in on corruption, transparency and accountability.
The Agricultural Business Development Agency (Agribusdev) board yesterday suspended its managing director Petrus Uugwanga with immediate effect to allow for smooth investigations.
Health minister Dr Kalumbi Shangula yesterday assured parents and stakeholders that all necessary precautions will be taken to prevent the spread of Covid-19 as grade 11 and 12 learners return to the classroom tomorrow for face-to-face learning.
A Namibian health worker, who returned to the country from South Africa last month, has become the latest person to test positive for Covid-19, bringing the total number of confirmed virus cases – for which there is no vaccine – to 25.
The formal bail hearing of self-proclaimed prophet Jackson Babi and his co-accused Friza Naululu Dumeni will start tomorrow in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court.
.jpg)
The fraud and corruption trial of former Roads Contractor Company CEO Kelly Nghixulifwa and two of his business friends Anna Ndoroma and Hafeni Nginamwaami is set to start in October this year after numerous delays since 2016.
Labour minister Utoni Nujoma has turned to his lawyers to demand a written apology from Landless People’s Movement (LPM) leader Bernadus Swartbooi.
Fisheries minister Albert Kawana believes Namibian interests should come first before that of foreign entities when it comes to the fishing industry and the allocation of rights.
The Windhoek Magistrate’s Court is scheduled to give a ruling on postponing the case of former Cabinet ministers Bernhardt Esau and Sacky Shanghala, as well as their accomplices accused of receiving more than N$130 million in bribes in exchange for fishing quotas.
WALVIS BAY – A third person tested positive for Covid-19 at Walvis Bay, bringing the total number of cases in the country to 24, of which 10 are active cases for which scientists are frantically searching for a vaccine and a cure.
The Affirmative Repositioning (AR) movement says it does not support the reopening of face-to-face learning for critical grades this Wednesday. The country will move to stage 3 on 2 June until 29 June as part of the four-stage response plan aimed at easing Covid-19 restrictions. Cabinet has endorsed the plan to reopen schools on 3 June for critical grades such as 11 and 12 to resume face-to-face classes. Phase 2 will see the resumption of pre-primary to grade 3 on 22 June until 18 December 2020.
Self-proclaimed prophet Jackson Babi and his co-accused Friza Naululu Dumeni, who were part of eight men arrested last week for being in possession of two rhino horns, are scheduled to appear in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court again this morning to set a date for their bail application.
The authorities yesterday warned the coronavirus pandemic remains a threat even though the country is moving towards easing Covid-19 restrictions next week.
Walvis Bay Urban constituency councillor Knowledge Ipinge yesterday welcomed President Hage Geingob’s decision to place the coastal town under tighter Covid-19 restrictions with immediate effect, saying it was a proactive and applaudable move by government. Geingob yesterday announced Walvis Bay will revert to stage one lockdown, meaning individuals will not be allowed to leave their homes except under strictly controlled circumstances, such as seeking medical care, food and medicine for seven days to curb the spread of the coronavirus. Schools will remain closed, while public gatherings should not exceed more than ten people.
Fisheries minister Albert Kawana yesterday dismissed, as untrue, a newspaper article claiming the ministry has already issued fishing rights to the same old holders at the expense of new applicants. An angry Kawana said the article, which carried in a weekly newspaper, was “political propaganda that emitted elsewhere”. “There is no truth in the article. The same newspaper wrote about me a few weeks back that I was chased out of Cabinet meeting. That was a lie and this again is blatant lies.
The basic education ministry, which received the largest allocation of N $14.2 billion of the national budget, will spend about N$10.9 billion on personnel expenditure.
A man, who was arrested last year for allegedly attempting to obstruct the course of justice in the ongoing investigations of the multi-million-dollar fisheries bribery case, has denied any wrongdoing, citing that he was merely doing his job.
Police in Erongo region have cautioned women to consider their overall safety, especially when alone and seeking solitude in high-risk areas. This comes in the wake of an incident in which a 29-year-old resident of Kuisebmund was brutally raped on Monday morning while praying in the dunes at Walvis Bay.
.jpg)
Finance minister Iipumbu Shiimi yesterday tabled a N$72.8 billion national budget, largely aimed at restarting a Namibian economy that – just as the rest of the world – has been brought to its knees by the Covid-19 pandemic.
A five-month-old baby slept outside in a tent for the past two nights with its mother after their shack was razed to the ground on Sunday. They will spend more frigid nights outside, as the mother, employed as a cleaner, is unable to immediately rebuild the shack from her meagre income. Two other children of 40-year-old Rosalia Andjelu are temporarily accommodated by their neighbours.
While economic analysts conceded that yesterday’s budget by finance minister Iipumbu Shiimi is aimed at reinvigorating a domestic economy ravaged by Covid-19, they emphasised the necessity to look beyond the financial and social effects of the pandemic and stressed the need to put more money into productive areas. This is despite the fact that the prevalence of Covid-19 has brought about considerable uncertainty on the domestic economic outlook and has induced a significant downturn on economic activities and public revenue, with elevated public debt as a consequence.
One of the men accused of conspiring with those implicated in the fisheries bribery scandal to divert N$75.6 million from the State-owned National Fishing Corporation of Namibia (Fishcor) for their benefit has approached the court for bail consideration.
WALVIS BAY - Several Walvis Bay residents have been ordered to self-quarantine after a new case of coronavirus was recorded at the town, bringing the total of active Covid-19 cases in the Erongo region to two.
WALVIS BAY – Transport companies or truck owners operating on cross-border routes will no longer be allowed to quarantine their drivers at truck ports, health minister Dr Kalumbi Shangula announced yesterday.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) parliamentarian, Leon Schreiber, has called on the South African government to emulate President Hage Geingob’s decision to ban the procurement of new vehicles for government ministers and public office bearers until 2025. The DA is the South African official opposition party.
The Outapi Town Council in Omusati region is extremely concerned by the escalating number of land-grabbing incidents targeting planned and proclaimed land at the town.
The State has accused those implicated in the multi-million-dollar fisheries bribery scandal of having contributed to the country’s economic demise.
The Khomas police have confirmed that two truck drivers violated quarantine regulations after they snuck out of a mandatory quarantine facility and allegedly wandered around Goreangab and Hakahana this past weekend.
.jpg)
AN arrest warrant has been issued for a 48-year-old man who yesterday failed to show up for his scheduled judgement hearing in the Windhoek High Court. Jan Moses Uamunika is charged with murder for the alleged killing of Rehoboth farmer Joseph Adriaan Shorty Barth, who was 69 years old at the time of his demise in 2017.
The first long weekend after the easing of Covid-19 lockdown restrictions resulted in an upsurge in critical injuries and death on national roads.
.jpg)
A Groot Aub septuagenarian, who sews face masks that prevent the spread of Covid-19, encouraged other tailors to move out of their comfort zones and start sewing the much sought-after face masks.
A 56-year-old Namibian-born lost his life to coronavirus on Saturday in the United Kingdom, the authorities confirmed yesterday. The victim was identified as Abiud Uazeua, who lived with his family in Nottingham.
One of the officers investigating the infamous Fishrot scandal says the amount misappropriated by those implicated has increased to N$13o million.
A 47-year-old truck driver, who at the weekend tested positive for Covid-19, has denied that he snuck out of a mandatory quarantine facility before testing positive to the virus.
Shanghai, one of the four municipalities of the People’s Republic of China and a sister city to Windhoek, has donated 20 000 face masks to help the Namibia capital city to contain the pandemic that has sickened millions.
.jpg)
A massive operation by farmers and the police, aimed at eradicating stock theft in Omaheke region, is yielding results after close to 100 stolen cattle were recovered on Wednesday in the Otjombinde constituency.
A presidential pardon will see 1 023 petty crime offenders set free next month. The offenders will gain their freedom after being pardoned by President Hage Geingob in commemoration of the 30th independence anniversary.
.jpg)
Health minister Dr Kalumbi Shangula said there was no need for panic as the country has been able to stave off community transmission of Covid-19.
The Bank of Namibia has strongly advised the public to avoid investing in pyramid schemes such as the R200 WhatsApp Stokvel, saying anyone who participates in the scheme is liable for criminal sanctions.
The trial of a former hostel superintendent, accused of raping 10 boys at an Otjiwarongo school, is scheduled to continue in September with or without his lawyer.
As Namibia and the rest of the world have been grappling to deal with the prevailing Covid-19 pandemic, the prices of certain products in the country have increased by as little as 14% while some have gone up by as much as 100%.
.jpg)
The Ovaherero Traditional Authority (OTA) said it will not force an advisor of Paramount Chief Vekuii Rukoro to pay a fine of a cow worth N$12 000 for alleged “impropriety allegations” made against the traditional leader.
The ministry of education yesterday announced a staggered return to classroom teaching, following consultations with various stakeholders.
Higher education minister Itah Kandji-Murangi said she has asked the Namibia Students Financial Assistance Fund (NSFAF) to provide further support to Namibian students studying in Ukraine amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
Namibia Postal Holdings Ltd has strongly dismissed suggestions its courier service is involved in the transportation of liquor during the lockdown. Nampost spokesperson Wilson Ashikoto made these remarks following an enquiry after this publication learnt through the Oshikoto regional police that courier vehicles were among those transporting illicit alcohol and other counterfeit products.
.jpg)
Lawyers representing Bukalo village council CEO Martin Limbo have threatened to drag the council to court if it fails to renew their client’s contract which ends on 31 May.
A Swakopmund man, who is on trial for allegedly killing his 78-year-old employer in August 2017, has blatantly denied guilt, saying he was forced by the investigating officer to admit guilt.
Highly infectious medical waste comprising of needles and syringes, circumcision blades, dirty linens and contraceptive implants were discovered about 50 metres from houses in Windhoek’s Goreangab area.
OMUTHIYA - Over 2 000 residents of Kaniita informal settlement in Omuthiya are still without proper ablution facilities. Residents make use of four pit latrines that are filthy and smelly.
The Landless People’s Movement (LPM) said it will table a motion in the National Assembly in which it will seek to have fishing rights of ministers and members of parliament revoked.
The prosecutor general has ordered the investigating officer dealing with the case of self-proclaimed forex trader and activist Michael Amushelelo to further investigate the matter.
The health ministry’s specialist physician Dr Ishmael Katjitae has dismissed fears that government might be deliberately underreporting coronavirus cases.
Namibia’s Bience Gawanas, who has been elected to the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) board of trustees, said the country should continue the debate on whether abortion should be legalised or not. Gawanas was at the weekend elected to the IPPF board.
The Ovaherero Traditional Authority (OTA) has ordered former parliamentarian Arnold Tjihuiko to pay a fine of one cow for supposedly embarrassing Ovaherero Paramount Chief Vekuii Rukoro during a WhatsApp altercation recently.
OMUTHIYA - The police on Saturday through an undercover operation managed to apprehend four stock theft suspects. They have been allegedly terrorising farms in the vicinity of Tsumeb over the past months.
OMUTHIYA – Police in the Oshikoto region have confiscated counterfeit alcohol, cigarettes and drugs worth N$280 900, while 94 fines valued at N$157 300 have been issued to individuals in just one week for violating the Covid-19 state of emergency regulations.
A total of 56 individuals, including well-known musicians, were part of people arrested in Windhoek over the weekend for contravening the Covid-19 state of emergency regulations. Khomas police chief Commissioner Joseph Shikongo confirmed to New Era yesterday that some of those detained paid a fine of N$2 000.
A Chinese construction company that lost out on a lucrative tender worth N$7 billion to upgrade the Hosea Kutako International Airport had reportedly made a commitment to pay close to N$100 million into an account designated by a local law firm.
The Presidency believes a saving of up to N$200 million would be realised following an executive decision to stop the acquisition of new vehicles for ministers and public office-bearers for the next five years.
Some education stakeholders have agreed amongst themselves that learners who are in critical grades, especially in grade 11 and 12, should resume classes by 3 June.
Orano Mining Namibia has made a once-off donation of 200 000 cubic metres (200 million litres) of desalinated water, valued at N$6 million, to the local authorities in the coastal area.
Panic that erupted at the South African side of the Vioolsdrift border since Tuesday has been restored with the reopening of the border late on Wednesday night.
.jpg)
A 19-year-old woman from Ohepa village in the Omulonga constituency of Ohangwena says she continues to endure sexual, mental and physical abuse allegedly perpetrated by relatives and a neighbour.
The battle to gain access to records of prominent attorney Sisa Namandje law firm’s trust account began yesterday in the Windhoek High Court, with the lawyer questioning the powers of the Law Society of Namibia (LSN).
The local tourism sector says it is expecting a significant number of job losses due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Retrenchments in the sector and job losses are simply unavoidable, the Hospitality Association of Namibia (HAN) said this week.
Ombudsman John Walters yesterday said his office has agreed to look into claims of an “unfair recruitment process” by the Central Procurement Board of Namibia (CPBN).
The ministry of environment has started an investigation after an elephant was found dead on a farm in the Kavango East region. According to ministry spokesperson Romeo Muyunda, the elephant was found dead in a crop field with its tusks intact at farm Nanava within the Linena constituency over the weekend.
The police have arrested 22 people in less than a week for drug dealing. A rough New Era calculation based on information provided by the police over the last couple of days, indicates drugs worth nearly N$1 million were confiscated since Friday.
The Law Society of Namibia (LSN) says prominent lawyer Sisa Namandje’s refusal to open records to his trust account is done merely to protect himself and his conduct and not his clients as he has claimed.
Several Windhoek schools have stepped up cleaning measures to prevent the potential spread of Covid-19. Teachers and other institutional workers reported for work this past week to help prepare the classrooms for face-to-face learning, as well as to continue with alternative teaching methods.
The temporary hike in bus and taxi fares by Road Transportation Board (RTB) on Monday has triggered public outrage and protests, with some saying the increase during this time of the Coronavirus pandemic is harsh to public transport users.
The ministry of environment has put down another elephant after causing substantial crop damage at Amarika in the Otamanzi constituency of Omusati region.
.jpg)
A disgruntled farmer, Robbie Hoveka, residing in the Eiseb Block, a settlement in Omaheke region, has accused another farmer Barney Karuuombe for using his influence and position to break the law and do as he pleased by cutting down a fenced area meant to prevent livestock from straying to other farms in the area.
.jpg)
OMUTHIYA - Law enforcement officers in Oshikoto region have been very busy preventing illicit liquor trade during the current state of emergency Covid-19 period.
The majority of OvaHimba and San communities are saying they did not receive the N$750 emergency income grant (EIG) that government paid to people on the basis they lost income and the unemployed since the outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic.
Well wishes have poured in for Namibia’s first democratically elected president Sam Nujoma on the occasion of his 91st birthday. Nujoma turns 91 today.
The education ministry has rejected a formal request by private schools to resume with face-to-face learning amid the Covid-19 pandemic. The request came days after government announced that face-to-face classes would only resume by 3 August later this year as part of measures to help contain the spread of Covid-19.
.jpg)
Former health minister Dr Richard Kamwi said although it was too early to declare the Covid-19 situation in the country under control, Namibia has done relatively well to contain the spread of the virus.
A farmworker, who is on trial for allegedly killing his employer on his farm in the area of Rehoboth nearly three years ago, will have to wait to hear the verdict in his case after the court postponed the ruling. Windhoek High Court Judge Eileen Rakow was scheduled to give judgement in the matter yesterday.
Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) needs do not stop to exist because Covid-19 demands greater attention and resources, said the Society for Family Health (SFH) country director, Taimi Amaambo.
The Namibian Police will meet and come up with a holistic strategy to find a long-term solution to rampant cattle theft that has become prevalent in the Epukiro constituency in the Omaheke region.
Namibia will continue to keep its ports and harbours open to facilitate the free movement of commercial goods to its landlocked neighbours and beyond, President Hage Geingob said on Friday.
Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) chief electoral and referenda officer Theo Mujoro said the electoral body is closely following developments around the Covid-19 pandemic with a view to develop mitigating strategies to lessen the virus impact on the upcoming regional and local authority elections scheduled for November.
When it was announced informal traders providing essential services would start operating under strict rules, the news was well received as it brought a sigh of relief.
Formal bail application proceedings are not to determine if the applicant is guilty or not but rather to prove if he/she is a good candidate for bail. These were the remarks of Magistrate Shaatuna Kalla before granting bail to City police spokesperson Fabian Amukwelele (37) last week in the Katutura Magistrate’s Court.
Rising stock theft cases and alleged police inaction led to communal farmers in the Epukiro constituency of the Omaheke region to form a task force.
Residents of the Omatelekelo village in the Ogongo constituency are forced to risk their lives every day for the lack of a proper footbridge on the Calueque-Oshakati canal.
New National Youth Services (NYS) commissioner Felix Musukubili says he is humbled by his appointment by President Hage Geingob.
Health minister Dr Kalumbi Shangula has warned that the mandatory wearing of masks should not be seen as a substitute for other measures aimed at preventing the transmission of Covid-19. Shangula urged people to continue wearing masks and observe other measures like washing of hands, frequent use of sanitisers and maintaining social distance.
.jpg)
WALVIS BAY - The Namibia Fish Consumption Promotion Trust has donated 373 food and toiletry parcels worth N$200 000 to the Walvis Bay municipality.
.jpg)
While more than half a million needy Namibians were approved for the emergency income grant (EIG) of N$750, hordes of the more than 394 000 unsuccessful applicants continue to inundate the Ministry of Finance with queries as to why they have not benefited from the Covid-19 relief grant.
A senior member of the Namibian Defence Force has been caught and fined N$4 000 after he was found to be complicit in the illegal sale of alcohol during the nationwide lockdown period.
The African swine fever that reportedly killed over 102 pigs in the Omusati region has spread to the University of Namibia’s Ogongo Campus. As such, 23 pigs from Ogongo campus will be culled after coming into contact with infected pigs.
A 37-year-old man, found in possession of 605 Mandrax tablets on the B1 road last month, was released on bail by the Rehoboth Magistrate’s Court.
.jpg)
Windhoek mayor Fransina Kahungu has appealed to companies to come on board and assist with spring-cleaning markets around the city to enable vendors to resume trading.
Former education minister Katrina Hanse-Himarwa, who is a teacher by profession, has suggested learners who are in critical grades, especially in grade 11 and 12 should resume classes because not every child can afford online learning.
.jpg)
President Hage Geingob has thanked US President Donald Trump for donating N$100 million to Namibia, which was handed over last week to the Namibian government.
Minister in the Presidency Christine //Hoebes, who has been charged with intentionally defacing a Namibian banknote and then illegally posting an image of the defaced banknote on social media, faces a fine of up to N$100 000.
WALVIS BAY – Truckers transporting cross-border goods will be subjected to a seven-day mandatory quarantine in Walvis Bay as from this week.
WALVIS BAY - Some fishing companies are preparing to return to the fishing grounds after the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources lifted the ban on vessel operations last week.
While education authorities are desperately trying to rescue the current academic year, the Teachers Union of Namibia (TUN), has advised that the 2020 school year be called off due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
