Lahja Nashuuta Legal experts have raised serious questions about the extent of the Minister of Urban and Rural Development James Sankwasa’s authority over local and regional councils. They warned that recent interventions may be overstepping legal limits and threatening local democracy. Legal commentator Natji Tjirera said the Namibian Constitution and relevant laws prioritise the right...
Rudolf Gaiseb Half of the Namibian population, largely public servants – teachers, nurses – is crippled by debt and parents are forced to borrow, not to invest but to eat and survive. Popular Democratic Movement parliamentarian Inna Hengari raised the concern in parliament this week, highlighting the financial hardship and unsustainable debt levels citizens endure....
Rauna Kalola SWAKOPMUND – People with disabilities, civil society and other members of the public this week convened in Swakopmund for the Erongo Regional Disability Networking Forum (RDNF). The event was hosted by the National Federation of People with Disabilities in Namibia, and Organizations of Persons with Disabilities(OPDs). The gathering highlighted ongoing challenges faced by...
NEW DELHI – Namibia-India relations are marked by deep historical ties, mutual respect and dynamic strategic engagement. India was among the first countries to champion Namibia’s independence at the United Nations as early as 1946. It hosted Swapo’s first foreign mission in New Delhi in 1986. New Era’s journalist Paheja Siririka (PS) engaged Namibia’s High...
Despite its obvious benefits, the noble initiative of subsistence crop farming, which enables a family to feed right off their own fields, has not been successfully replicated across the country. Many of us still rely on getting supplies from the shops for our daily needs ranging from maize meal to even a bulb of onion. This begs the...
Today, the world gathers once again to celebrate World Micro-, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSME) Day. This annual event, declared by the United Nations General Assembly in 2017, is more than just a symbolic occasion. It is a global call to recognise the indispensable role of MSMEs in job creation, economic growth, innovation, and sustainable...
Lahja Nashuuta The Ministry of Mines and Energy has been issued a disclaimer of opinion by the Office of the Auditor General, citing poor regulatory oversight and widespread non-compliance in managing gold mining licences. The audit covered the period from 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2023, focusing on the ministry’s oversight of three major...
Lahja Nashuuta Namibians will head to the polls on 26 November 2025 to elect their regional councillors and local authority representatives, the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) has announced. Chief electoral and referenda officer Peter Shaama made the announcement during the launch of the regional and local authority electoral calendar in Windhoek on Tuesday. He...
WALVIS BAY – Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform minister Inge Zaamwani said there is currently no targeted pilchard fishing taking place. She admitted that some of the bycatch could be a deliberate act. The minister made these remarks while defending the ongoing pilchard fishing moratorium. Zaamwani stated that recent landings are undermining efforts to...
Former minister of information and lifelong friend of Moses Amweelo, Joel Kaapanda, has described him as a “hero, fighter and intelligent man.” He said the news of Amweelo’s passing came as a shock to him, as he did not know that he had been sick. “I didn’t know he was sick. “Someone called me earlier...