With the national elections fast approaching and 91% of the electorate now registered, many young Namibians face a challenging decision in selecting the presidential candidate to vote for. Finding the “perfect” presidential candidate has become as elusive as finding “Mr Right” in the Namibian dating scene, leaving first-time and previous voters uncertain. This indecision underscores...
Opinions
Opinion – Protecting Namibia’s environment, enabling socio-economic development
Namibia is one of the few countries in the world where the protection of the environment is enshrined in its highest law, the Constitution. This clear indicator shows how seriously the Government of the Republic of Namibia (GRN) takes the preservation of its natural environment. Article 95 (l) of Namibia’s Constitution provides the basis for...
Opinion – What is woody biomass?
Uncover the potential of woody biomass in helping to reach clean energy goals around the world. Namibia’s savanna ecosystem witnesses the expansion and densification of shrubs, a phenomenon globally known as woody plant encroachment. This is attributed to various factors, including overgrazing, excluding larger mammals and browsers as well as wildfire suppression. Climate change is...
Opinion – ICT accessibility for an inclusive economy
Erasmus Nekundi As a country, we acknowledge that we still have a fraction of the population whose full participation in the economy is restricted due to the digital divide. This exclusion continues to be a critical hindrance to equal access to information, and ultimately to the developmental agenda and prosperity of many developing countries. While we...
Opinion – Will policy changes finally benefit Namibians?
Lot Ndamanomhata The recent decision by the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Bank of Namibia to reduce the repo rate by 25 basis points to 7.50% comes at a pivotal moment for the country’s economy. This reduction is intended to boost economic growth while maintaining the Namibia Dollar’s peg to the South African Rand. ...
Opinion – Historic phone call
On a Sunday afternoon, 14 July 2024 to be exact, I made what I thought was a random call. We had just come back from the funeral of our then last surviving matriarch, Sukoo Kavari, a week earlier. At that funeral, some of the elders of the clan and I were teaching the youngsters about...
Opinion – Conservation and use of natural resources…paradigm shifts and mandates
Vincent N. Sazita Brian S. Lwendo The conservancy programme is underpinned by legislative reform, the Nature Conservation Amendment Act, that has led to a paradigm shift in how communities perceive and value wildlife. In contrast to pre-apartheid antagonistic attitudes towards wildlife, communities across Namibia are increasingly recognising the value and contribution which wildlife and tourism...
Opinion – Empowering SMEs for oil opportunities
The recent discovery of oil in Namibia’s offshore regions, particularly in the Orange Basin and the Walvis Basin, has sparked both domestic and international excitement. With major oil companies like TotalEnergies, Shell and Galp showing keen interest, these discoveries signal a potential economic transformation to begin in 2025. As activities escalate, crucial questions emerge: who...
opinion – Mainstream media sustainability amid digital transformation
It is a challenging time for media operations everywhere. Printed media sustainability has been sliding towards the abyss due to declining advertising revenue, reduced circulation and loss to technology giants. Advertising revenue is the lifeblood of newspapers’ ability to remain profitable. This reality rings true in Namibia, considering that circulations of virtually all mainstream print...
Letter – Radioactive chips to curb poaching
Rhino poaching in Africa has risen to levels not seen in almost two decades. Black rhinos remain critically endangered because of the demand for its horns on the illegal international market, mainly in Asia, where they are used for traditional medicine, and increasingly as a status symbol to display success and wealth. Unlike most animal...