Staff Reporter A TERRIBLE turn of events saw an 18-month-old toddler killed after being run over by a reversing vehicle at Onamukulo village, while three other people died in separate road crashes in the Oshikoto and Otjozondjupa regions over the weekend. …
… More than two-thirds of the population lives in rural areas, with the largest concentrations found in the Otjozondjupa, Omaheke and Kunene regions. …
… In a statement, health and social services minister Dr Esperance Luvindao on Monday officially declared the outbreak over after more than 28 consecutive days without a confirmed cholera case in either the Grootfontein Health District in the Otjozondjupa region or the Opuwo Health …
… The consultations, scheduled to run from 13 to 31 July 2026, will be conducted by the National Council Standing Committee on Health, Social Welfare, and Labour Affairs across several regions, including Oshana, Otjozondjupa, and Omaheke. …
Staff Reporter THREE Namibian men died in separate road accidents reported in the Otjozondjupa, Omusati and //Kharas regions over the weekend, with police investigations continuing into the crashes. …
… She cited Kalkfeld in the Otjozondjupa region as one such community, where residents have relied on ambulances dispatched from Otjiwarongo, more than 60 kilometres away before patients can even begin the journey to hospital. …
The Otjozondjupa region has recorded progress in public healthcare despite outbreaks of cholera, measles and malaria, as well as a rise in malnutrition cases linked to several deat... …
The Ministry of Health and Social Services on Monday received two fully equipped ambulances from the Namport Social Investment Fund (NSIF), with one allocated to the Kalkfeld community in the Otjozondjupa region and the other to be deployed to an area of greatest need. …
… The Canadian company produces natural graphite from two mines in Canada and owns the Okanjande project, located 20km south of Otjiwarongo in the Otjozondjupa region. …
Namibia has recorded 122 malaria deaths and 122,612 confirmed cases so far this year, with the government preparing to spray 1.2 million households in malaria-prone regions. The health minister announced that 99,078 cases were contracted locally while 23,354 were imported, and Kavango East region accounts for 30.6% of cases.
Namibia has recorded 122 malaria deaths and 122,612 confirmed cases so far this year, with the government preparing to spray 1.2 million households in malaria-prone regions. The health minister announced that 99,078 cases were contracted locally while 23,354 were imported, and Kavango East region accounts for 30.6% of cases.
An unidentified person died in a road accident at Otuvingo village near Okakarara in the early hours of Saturday when a Nissan NP200 lost control, left the road and collided with a tree, with the victim's remains burnt beyond recognition. The remains have been taken to Otjiwarongo police mortuary and are expected to be transferred to Windhoek for forensic examination.
Doctors at Otjiwarongo State Hospital are severely overworked due to a staffing shortage that has left only eight medical practitioners doing the work of 40. The shortage forces doctors to juggle multiple departments simultaneously, with patients often waiting hours for treatment.
Road crashes in the Otjozondjupa region claimed 67 lives and injured 678 people across 282 crashes during the 2025/26 reporting period, raising road safety concerns.
The governor of Omaheke asserts that management of Farm Nuwehoop is driven by his office as a project under his authority, while the Omaheke Regional Youth Forum contends that the National Youth Council of Namibia is the statutory body mandated to coordinate youth development. The Swakopmund Uranium Foundation has pledged about six million for the project.
The Electricity Control Board reports that Namibia's high-voltage backbone operated by NamPower is well maintained and reliable, but distribution networks delivering power to homes and businesses need improvement, according to findings in the 2024/2025 National Electricity Infrastructure Status Report.
The Electricity Control Board's 2024/25 infrastructure report finds that regional electricity distributors run electricity distribution networks better than local and regional councils, with concerns identified particularly in areas where councils manage distribution rather than dedicated companies.
The Electricity Control Board has warned it will revoke electricity distribution licences from underperforming municipalities and regional councils and transfer networks to operators with proven capacity, following an audit that found widespread non-compliance across Namibia's power infrastructure. The audit of nine distribution licensees found most networks rated poor due to inadequate safety code implementation and substandard maintenance, with ||Kharas, Hardap, and Omaheke regions carrying the highest compliance risk.
An Electricity Control Board audit of Namibia's electricity distribution infrastructure found that most regions have poor infrastructure, with //Kharas, Hardap and Omaheke facing high risk of continued non-compliance. Only Khomas and Otjozondjupa regions were classified as satisfactory.
The Hai||om San Royal House has petitioned the government to relocate its people to resettlement farms acquired in the Otavi, Otjiwarongo and Etosha Pan areas, citing loss of ancestral land near Otavi after 1904 and seeking recognition of their former chief's grave as a national heritage site.
A 26-year-old man died after being struck with a spear during a physical fight at Ekunde No. 2 in Okahandja on Tuesday, police said. The incident followed an alleged robbery of a tablet from a 17-year-old boy; four suspects aged 17, 25, 27 and 31 have been arrested.
The Palms for Life Fund, partnering with the President's office division of marginalized communities, has launched the Healthy Communities Programme, which invites community-based youth groups to submit proposals for projects combining environmental improvement with activities promoting healthy lifestyles and sobriety. The initiative will support 10 community projects and use community service to encourage young people to engage in improving their surroundings while creating alternatives to harmful alcohol use.
Namibia's headline annual inflation rate in July was 4.4%, with core inflation at 3.7%. Transport costs saw a notable increase, recording an annual inflation rate of 9.3% in July compared to a deflation of 1.2% in July 2025.
A pregnant woman and her 3-year-old son died in a vehicle accident near Kombat on Tuesday; a third occupant who sustained serious injuries later died in a Windhoek hospital on Thursday. The seven-seater vehicle, carrying eight occupants travelling from Windhoek to Rundu, allegedly struck a rabbit, causing the driver to lose control, and the vehicle overturned and rolled several times.
An Okahandja family says it waited nearly 10 hours for police assistance after their five-year-old daughter died at home following an illness diagnosed as malnutrition. The mother was forced to transport the body in a trolley after police took too long to arrive.
Otjozondjupa governor John //Khamuseb has called for stronger national investment in road safety along the B1 highway, warning that the country's busiest transport corridor has become synonymous with devastating loss of life. A road safety community engagement initiative launched in Otjiwarongo will travel to multiple towns during the week, involving the directorate of education, innovation, youth, sport, arts and culture and other stakeholders.
The Ministry of Education is reviewing school safety policies and using the gazette process to formally prohibit vaping and other items in schools, responding to increasing reports of learners using vaping products.
A pipeline between Otjituuo and Elandspan burst on Friday, interrupting water supply to Otjituuo and customers served by NamWater branches 7, 1, and 4. NamWater is carrying out repairs expected to take some time, with normal supply targeted for Monday; a water tanker is being dispatched to affected areas as an interim measure.
A 2023 Namibia Statistics Agency report shows that over 80% of members of Namibia's marginalised communities have received birth certificates, marking progress in legal identity access. However, gaps remain in national identification, education, employment, technology access, and household living conditions, with the report based on the 2023 Population and Housing Census identifying 75,569 marginalised community members (2.5% of the population).
Two people died and several others were injured in a collision on the B1 road about 30 km south of Otavi towards Otjiwarongo on Friday at around 19:20.
An 18-month-old toddler was run over by a reversing vehicle at Onamukulo village on Saturday, while a 37-year-old man died in a head-on collision between Tsumeb and Otavi on Friday, and two others died in a separate head-on crash on the Otavi-Otjiwarongo road. The incidents occurred across the Oshikoto and Otjozondjupa regions.
The Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare identified 373 children living and working on the streets in 2023 and plans to conduct a regional study this year to determine actual numbers and social and economic factors driving children to street life. The Khomas region recorded the highest number of street-connected children.
The Namibia Statistics Agency released a report based on the 2023 Population and Housing Census showing that marginalized communities—comprising San, Ovatue/Ovatwa, and Ovatjimba peoples (75,569 people, 2.5% of Namibia's population)—face significant challenges in education, employment, housing, and access to basic services. The data aims to support evidence-based planning and policy formulation to address inequalities.
Health Minister Dr Esperance Luvindao has declared the end of Namibia's cholera outbreak, which claimed one life and infected 82 people over nearly five months, following more than 28 consecutive days without a confirmed case in affected districts. Health experts caution that the country remains at risk unless vigilance in sanitation, surveillance, and hygiene is maintained.
Members of Parliament have launched stakeholder consultations from 13 to 31 July 2026 to examine the health impact of hubbly bubbly (hookah) use on Namibian youth in several regions. Previous oversight visits to Hardap, Khomas, and Erongo regions in August 2024 found widespread use among learners, with concerns about addiction, academic performance, and mixing hookah with alcohol or drugs.
Three Namibian men died in separate road accidents in the Otjozondjupa, Omusati and //Kharas regions over the weekend. The incidents included two vehicle overturns on the C31 and C13 roads and a pedestrian struck by an unknown vehicle on the Oshakati–Omungwelume main road, with police investigations continuing into all three crashes.
Health Minister Dr Esperance Luvindao announced the ministry of health and social services is planning to establish Namibia's first dedicated national air ambulance service to improve emergency medical care and access to treatment in remote communities. The announcement accompanies plans to procure 30 additional ambulances during the 2026/27 financial year.
The Otjozondjupa region has recorded progress in public healthcare despite outbreaks of cholera, measles and malaria, as well as a rise in malnutrition cases.
The Ministry of Health and Social Services received two fully equipped ambulances from the Namport Social Investment Fund, with one allocated to Kalkfeld in Otjozondjupa region and the other to an area of greatest need. Health Minister Esperance Luvindao said the donation will strengthen emergency medical services in remote communities where long distances pose challenges to healthcare delivery.
Northern Graphite has completed moving its processing plant to the Okanjande mine near Otjiwarongo and plans to restart mining operations by the end of 2027. The relocation from Okorusu, decided in 2023 to reduce transport costs, is part of the company's strategy to develop an integrated mine-to-battery graphite business.