As we approach October 2024, Namibian farmers and farmworkers are gearing up for the start of the summer crop season. This period marks the beginning of land preparation and planting activities for staple crops such as maize, pearl millet (mahangu), sorghum, groundnuts and other legumes. Much like our neighbours in Southern Africa, the timing of...
Opinions
Opinion – BRICS could surpass G7
It is not surprising that the BRICS+ formation will usher in a new economic order if the group of seven (G7) does not pull up its socks, as thegroup’s expansion presents new economic opportunities for developing countries. There is no doubt that the establishment of the BRICS (originally Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa)...
Presidential elections: A possible re-run after November
As Namibia approaches the 27 November elections, the question of a rerun for the presidential race is critical. This is possible since more votes might be split amongst political parties and independent candidates, those who stood on their own. The establishment of political parties such as the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) (a threat not...
Opinion – Political campaigns vs national interest
It is no longer a secret that Namibians are heading to the polls on 27 November this year, and have undergone such exercise many times. Still, the tempo changes slightly, depending on the election and the national interests at stake during the campaigns. During these campaigns, some political parties often become deeply polarised, leading to...
Opinion – Brainwashed African leadership
A community with good leadership thrives, while a community with failed leadership is surrounded by challenges. We often talk about solving problems, but never think of their root causes. As we try to resolve one issue, another arises, revealing that we have not fully understood the root cause of these problems. Similarly, you can only...
Opinion – Ocean protection key to 2025 world maritime
The 2025 World Maritime Day theme reflects the central role of shipping and that of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) in ocean protection and management of marine resources. ‘Our Ocean, Our Obligation, Our Opportunity’ has been selected as the theme for 2025, which will culminate in the celebration of the day on 25 September 2025. ...
Opinion – Industrialisation agenda in Namibia
Richwell Lukonga Over the years, Namibian agencies have sought to harness the country’s natural resources to enhance economic growth. Namibia Industrial Development Agency (Nida) was established by Parliament through Act 16 of 2016 to spearhead industrial, agribusiness and business infrastructure development, as well as to facilitate investment attraction. Nida has made the industrialisation of Namibia...
Opinion – Unchaining law in African curricula
Decolonisation as a theory focuses on challenging the colonial and imperialist perspectives on Africa and Africans. It seeks to debunk hegemonic discourses on Africa by continually opposing and resisting those notions that cast Africans as primitive and backward. Law permeates all realms of social behaviour; it is a tool of social engineering. It is also...
Opinion – Scrambling for service delivery in the land of plenty
The South African racist and oppressive political dispensation denied Namibians their deserved services. With the advent of nationhood thirty-four years ago, one would have thought that basic services would be a right and made available to every Namibian, irrespective of social status and political affiliation. But the situation on the ground is just the opposite...
Opinion – Political sloganeering: Voters’ behaviour, electoral politics
The term slogan, as used in politics, is claimed to derive from the (Gaelic) Scottish term as Slaughhairm or slogome, which means battle cry or war cry. The term slogan was first used in English in 1589, Stanley. E, (2024). Voters’ behaviour has an impact on both the election method and outcome. As a result,...