The Namibian public sector is often praised for offering job stability, security and a structured work environment. However, beneath the surface, a more troubling reality exists – one that stifles innovation, limits professional growth and conditions employees to settle into routines that demand compliance rather than critical thinking. Many enter government service with fresh ideas...
Opinions
Opinion – Futsal: A stepping stone for grassroots’ football development
In the ever-evolving landscape of sports development, futsal stands out as a powerful tool for nurturing football talent from the grassroots level. With its fast-paced, skill-intensive nature, futsal not only hones technical abilities, but also offers an accessible platform for schools and communities with limited infrastructure. Futsal, played on a smaller pitch with fewer players...
Opinion – From seed-sowing to germination and growth of crops
Hanks Saisai The successful growth of a crop is commonly influenced by the initial action of propagation, conventionally done through the sowing of seeds into a growing medium or directly into a seed bed. However, a factor frequently overlooked by farmers when sowing seeds is the sowing depth. Hence, most seed-producing companies develop trials to...
Opinion – Development aid or a modern-day slavery? … unmasking hidden cost of German-Namibian ties
I write to express my deep concerns regarding the impact of developmental cooperation and research collaborations between Namibia and European countries, particularly Germany. These partnerships, while often presented as beneficial, have systematically compromised Namibia’s economic freedom and independence. If we are truly committed to decolonising these collaborations and foreign aid structures, a fundamental shift is...
Opinion- Do it for rights, equality, empowerment
The road stretched endlessly, dust curling in the air, and the sun hanging heavy, unrelenting, pressing down on the parched earth. I was in northern Uganda, and I stopped at a small village. Beneath the shade of a lone mango tree, women gathered, their faces, young and old, etched and cracked like the ground they...
Uncommon sense – Modern life: An invisible prison
We can talk about freedom all day, march in the streets to demand it or defend it, but our actions demonstrate a completely different picture. In fact, we may say we want freedom and may fight for it, but the result always leaves a lot to be desired. We may admit that it makes us...
Opinion – Hurry up, bring your own chair
Most of the time, I do not like to shout and pontificate about equity and equality, even though the concept lives within the very core of my being. Once a year, when the world celebrates International Women’s Day on 8 March, I feel it is necessary to highlight the importance of this day. Equity and...
Opinion – Building confidence in electoral bodies’ conduct
Elections are the bedrock of democracy and the election commissions’ credibility is central to democratic legitimacy. Elections give citizens an opportunity to choose leaders or representatives of their choice, hold government to account and help to shape national policy making. In Africa, many independent election bodies established in the 90s on the eve of Namibia’s...
Opinion – International Women’s Day: Time for self-assessment
International Women’s Day is celebrated annually on 8 March across the globe. This year’s theme is ‘Accelerate Action’, aimed to instruct and remind us that the time for policymaking is to be replaced by implementations. It seeks to acknowledge public and private policies and strategies that positively impact women’s upliftment. The purpose of the day...
Opinion – Zooming in on Namibia’s data protection
Fellow Namibian citizens, can we truly trust our institutions to safeguard our personal data? The simple answer is ‘no’. While this response is blunt, the reality of our digital setting demands a deeper understanding of the risks we face and the urgent reforms needed. What happened? Whether you are a consumer, investor or a policy...