Swapo councillor Erkki Kandajaba is the new chairperson for the Onandjaba Village Council. His appointment follows the resignation of the previous chair, Jesaya Hanghuwo, who stepped down due to a party directive. Hanghuwo had originally been elected by local Swapo members, defying an earlier order from the party's politburo, which had nominated Kandajaba for the position.
Kandajaba was nominated by council member Martha Emvula, with Rachel Ashivudhi providing the second. He was officially sworn in after a vote. In his first speech, the new chairperson urged council members to maintain a peaceful working environment. The change in leadership resolves an internal party dispute over the selection process.
A Namibian union just secured a big cash recovery for its members this year. The Namibian Revolutionary Transport and Manufacturing Union, or Naretu, got about 1.4 million Namibian dollars for workers. Their commander in chief, Petersen Kambinda, announced the figure at a year-end press conference in Windhoek. The money came from resolving cases about unfair firings, missing wages, and other illegal workplace issues.
Kambinda said the final number includes funds from a pending auction of two cars by the court. The initial recovery was around 970,000 dollars. The union handled over 130 official labor disputes in the past year. They fully resolved 52 of those cases and settled another 38, leaving many still pending.
He pointed to a...
Harare's big Christmas lights event got memed hard when the mayor's ride conked out. Mayor Jacob Mafume was supposed to arrive in a vintage Rolls-Royce for the festive ceremony at Africa Unity Square. The city's social media team had been hyping it for hours, posting pics with the car and promising one of the best events ever. The driver, Blessing Rutumhu, even did final checks before the planned procession from Town House.
All that careful planning fell apart fast. The classic car broke down on the way to the ceremony. Instead of a polished show, the whole thing became a bunch of unplanned online content. The failure of the mayoral motorcade was instantly shared across social platforms, turning the intended spectacle into a very...
The court stalled the bail hearing for Sydney Halupe again because the state's prosecutor didn't show up. Halupe, a 33-year-old businessman and independent political candidate from Swakopmund, Namibia, remains locked up on a rape charge. The case involves a reported assault on a 20-year-old woman at the Nonidas area earlier this month.
Police spokesperson Inspector Serafine Kandjimi confirmed the arrest. The accusation states Halupe had sex with the victim without her permission. The young woman reported the incident right after it supposedly happened. His first court appearance led to a delay for a bail hearing, which has now been postponed a second time.
The hearing got pushed to a later date because a qualified prosecutor was...
Old Mutual Namibia has named a new managing director for its retail division. Ingah Ekandjo will lead the company's mass market business starting in early January.
The chief executive officer, Tassius Chigariro, cited Ekandjo's experience and strategic vision as reasons for her selection. He expressed confidence that her leadership would strengthen the company's brand. Ekandjo previously worked as an executive officer for another financial firm, Momentum Metropolitan.
In a statement, Ekandjo said she was honored and looked forward to working with her new team. She emphasized a focus on customer value and growth, aligning with the company's stated purpose. Her educational background includes a master's degree in business leadership.
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has added six more people to her special advisory groups. She announced the new appointments on Tuesday. These members will join the existing teams formed earlier in the month.
The new appointees will be split across three separate task forces. Two will join the group focused on economic recovery. Two others will supplement the health team. The final pair will work on land and housing issues.
The president stated these appointments aim to improve coordination and speed up work on key national priorities. She expressed confidence in the new members and wished them success. The groups originated from a public-private forum held in October.
An Okahandja man accused in a major cannabis case has been granted bail by the High Court. Johannes Kamati, aged sixty-one, was released on a fifty-thousand-dollar bond after appealing a lower court's denial. He faces charges for dealing nearly fifty-eight kilograms of marijuana, worth close to three million Namibian dollars, and money laundering.
Kamati is the third person charged in a broader case involving a large plantation discovered at a Hochfeld farm in May. He claims he was unknowingly transporting boxes he believed contained meat for his employer, one of the co-accused. The acting judge noted the seriousness of the charges but stated the state failed to prove he was a flight risk or would interfere with the investigation...
The Swapo party has forced the chairperson of the Onandjaba Village Council to step down. Jesaya Hanghuwo was ordered to resign by the party's secretary general, Sophia Shaningwa, after local councillors elected him against the party's chosen nominee. A directive stated Hanghuwo must vacate the chairperson role but can remain as a regular council member.
Shaningwa's order demands a new election be held quickly, with councillors instructed to nominate a specific person, Erkki Kandjaba, as directed by the party's central committee. The local Swapo coordinator, Sackey Kayone, claims Hanghuwo has already resigned, and the process is moving forward. However, a council administrative officer stated Hanghuwo remains in the position officially...
The Rupara Health Centre in Kavango West has no full-time doctor. A nurse in charge, Chrispinus Kanyengo, says the facility depends on visiting doctors who come just once a week, usually on Wednesdays. He states these doctors arrive exhausted from other clinics, which hurts the quality of care for the roughly twelve thousand people who rely on the center.
The clinic faces severe resource shortages. Its maternity ward only has two beds, forcing staff to use general wards. A new maternity building is under construction. Other problems include no ambulance, a broken backup generator, and a lack of staff housing. Kanyengo says a doctor's residence exists, but budget delays prevent filling the position. He is calling for a permanent doctor...
