Deputy Minister of Education who threatened to publicly identify local authorities charging fees for school land.
Verbatim sentences from the source article.
New Era
Rudolf Gaiseb While most youth organisations have expressed satisfaction with the subsidised tertiary education model, others opine there is a lot to be desired. …
Subsidised tertiary education draws mixed reactionsNew Era
Rudolf Gaiseb Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) has adjusted its registration systems to support the implementation of the subsidised tertiary funding model, “specifically to enable eligible students to register without the payment of registration fees”. …
Govt to foot student registration bill …as Unam med schools run out of spaceNew Era
Rudolf Gaiseb Allegations of a potential rift between the official opposition leader in the National Assembly Imms Nashinge and IPC president Panduleni Itula are devoid of any truth and peddled by those preoccupied with sowing division within Namibia’s second-largest political pa …
‘All sizzle, no steak’New Era
Rudolf Gaiseb The Ministry of Finance has pronounced the National Youth Development Fund no longer has a closing date. …
Youth fund has no closing date – Ministry … apply any timeNew Era
Rudolf Gaiseb The government has widened access to the education subsidy by the inclusion of the Namibia Senior Secondary Certificate Ordinary Level (NSSCO) (Grade 11) in the subsidised tertiary education funding model. …
Govt throws grade 11s a lifeline …NSFAF widens education accessNew Era
Rudolf Gaiseb Erongo Regional Council chairperson Lazarus Kanelombe has said resolving the water crisis in Otjimbingwe and its surrounding areas is his number one priority. …
Erongo prioritises addressing Otjimbingwe water crisisNew Era
Rudolf Gaiseb The Ministry of International Relations and Trade (MIRT) is investigating an alleged trafficking of 24 Namibians in Myanmar and Thailand in Asia. …
24 Namibians fall prey to Asian ‘traffickers’New Era
Rudolf Gaiseb NamPost states social grant beneficiaries accessed payments outside the approved schedule this January, causing long queues at several post offices. …
Beneficiaries put pressure on NamPostNew Era
Rudolf Gaiseb Otjiwarongo constituency councillor and Otjozondjupa Regional Council management committee chairperson Paulus Nekundi fervently wants to grow Otjiwarongo into an investment hub. …
Otjiwarongo: An investment hubNew Era
Rudolf Gaiseb The Namibian government maintains that the country remains one of the most peaceful and politically stable locations in the world. …
Nam hits back at Canada, Germany … country peaceful, politically stableNamibia's fuel prices increased significantly—petrol by N$1.40 per litre and diesel by N$4.63 per litre effective today—due to conflict around the Strait of Hormuz driving up international oil prices. The Ministry of Industries, Mines and Energy assured the public that sufficient fuel stocks are available for the next three months and prohibits panic buying to ensure stable supply.
8 May 2026 · New Era →
Namibia's fuel prices increased significantly—petrol by N$1.40 per litre and diesel by N$4.63 per litre effective today—due to conflict around the Strait of Hormuz driving up international oil prices. The Ministry of Industries, Mines and Energy assured the public that sufficient fuel stocks are available for the next three months and prohibits panic buying to ensure stable supply.
8 May 2026 · New Era →
The Namibian Agronomic Board has launched the Fruit Value Chain Development Scheme to reduce reliance on imported fruit, offering a 30% subsidy on planting materials and inputs alongside training and mentorship to farmers. The scheme aims to address poor genetics and limited technical knowledge, with Namibia currently importing more than 97% of its fruit.
6 May 2026 · New Era →
The Popular Democratic Movement's secretary general says the party remains in sound financial state after spending between N$6 and N$8 million on 2024 election campaigns, and is recovering through parliamentary allocations and property assets. The PDM is preparing for McHenry Venaani's term-limited leadership transition in 2028–2029 through a system of broad capacity-building across party structures rather than grooming a single successor.
24 April 2026 · New Era →
The Namibian health ministry has launched an investigation into alleged fraud and theft within its pharmaceutical supply chain, including stock data manipulation and diversion of medicines. Executive director Penda Ithindi said implicated Central Medical Stores staff have been reassigned pending investigation, with criminal proceedings possible if guilt is established.
20 April 2026 · New Era →
The Landless People's Movement boycotted President Nandi-Ndaitwah's State of the Nation Address, calling it political theatre that masks poor governance; the presidency responded that dialogue is essential in a democracy and that such absences represent a missed opportunity to raise concerns.
10 April 2026 · New Era →
Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare confirmed that Namibia is discussing acquisition of a 10% stake in Rössing Uranium, currently held by South Africa's Industrial Development Corporation. The government holds less than 4% and argues the stake should belong to Namibia under law of succession, with the aim of maximizing the country's benefit from its uranium resources.
7 April 2026 · New Era →
Swapo parliamentarian Hilma Iita has tabled a motion proposing 75% partial legal aid for middle-income earners, arguing the current N$7,000 monthly income threshold leaves workers unable to afford private lawyers while earning too much to qualify for free aid. Justice minister Yvonne Dausab had previously indicated plans to raise the threshold to N$10,000 and consider case complexity, but Iita stressed the law remains unchanged and is outdated given current living costs.
7 April 2026 · New Era →
The Parliament of Namibia and the Inter-Parliamentary Union held a training session for young parliamentarians to strengthen their leadership capacity, communication skills, and mentorship abilities in governance. The initiative aims to empower young MPs to influence policy, drive sustainable development, and increase youth representation in parliamentary decision-making, with an "I Say Yes to Youth in Parliament" campaign also launched.
1 April 2026 · New Era →
A UDF parliamentarian has called for decentralised nursing registration at the regional level to ease the burden on nurses who must travel long distances to Khomas Region. The Health Ministry has extended the registration deadline to 31 March 2026 and is engaging with the Health Professions Council to find sustainable long-term solutions.
26 March 2026 · New Era →
At least 91 parliamentarians have submitted asset and interest declarations as required under parliamentary standing rules, with MPs disclosing shareholdings in telecommunications, banking, and brewing companies, as well as residential and commercial properties across Namibia. Failure to comply with annual declaration requirements constitutes a breach of parliamentary rules and may result in referral to the Committee of Privileges for disciplinary measures including fines or formal reprimands.
25 March 2026 · New Era →
Five people died in a head-on collision between a VW Polo and a Ford Ranger near Okahandja last Thursday; three teachers from Otjiwarongo are feared among the victims. The Polo's driver allegedly swerved to avoid guinea fowls, crossing into the oncoming lane, and all five occupants were burnt beyond recognition. The Ford Ranger's driver was rescued and admitted to hospital with serious injuries.
24 March 2026 · New Era →
Since independence in 1990, Namibia's Parliament has evolved into a democratically elected body and now has its first female speaker, Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, elected in March 2025. However, political analyst Ndumba Kamwanyah notes that despite its progressive constitutional framework, Parliament has struggled with weak oversight of the executive due to single-party dominance and the executive being drawn directly from Parliament, resulting in limited depth in legislative debate.
20 March 2026 · New Era →
The New Era Publication Corporation and National Commission on Research, Science and Technology held a maiden AI Innovation Hackathon themed "Coding the Future of Media" to give young innovators the opportunity to apply their skills to solve real-world problems. Twenty-five participants from tertiary institutions competed, with judges assessing entries on originality, impact, and usability.
17 March 2026 · New Era →
Landless People's Movement leader Bernardus Swartbooi has called on the government to consider exporting labour to address Namibia's 36.9% unemployment rate, citing examples from Kenya, Uganda and Ghana that place workers in Gulf Cooperation Council states. He criticised the government's emphasis on education without corresponding job creation and argued that investment in productive sectors like agriculture and energy should be prioritised over social spending.
16 March 2026 · New Era →
Swapo MP Tobie Aupindi has proposed a "Commodity Dividend Model" under which Namibia would receive mining and resource dividends in physical commodities like gold, uranium, and lithium rather than fiat currency, arguing this would protect the country against inflation and currency volatility while building a strategic reserve. Aupindi also called for greater industrialisation, more effective taxation of mineral rents, reform of state-owned enterprises, and a shift from passive SACU reliance toward regional value chains and manufacturing.
12 March 2026 · New Era →
National Assembly Speaker Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila visited Windhoek Central Hospital's Children's Cardiac Intensive Care Unit and called for the Legislature to develop more bills to improve Namibia's training capacity for specialist workers, noting the country lacks experts in key medical fields and most specialists are trained abroad. A paediatric cardiologist highlighted that Namibia has only 10 to 15 sub-specialists across the entire country, describing the situation as "tragic" and pointing to an inability to build local training capacity.
11 March 2026 · New Era →
Communal conservancies earned over N$292.5 million from trophy hunting between 2013 and 2024, with the Environment Minister confirming that selective hunting removes less than 1% of annual wildlife population and contributes to conservation funding, habitat management and community development.
10 March 2026 · New Era →
The Ministry of Health says the Namibia Institute of Pathology's new manufacturing hub, which produces specimen collection tubes locally, is above board and complies with EU safety standards. Phase Two aims to supply the SADC region's 417 million people, though a parliamentary question raised concerns about the project's mandate under the NIP Act and a potential conflict of interest involving the board chairperson.
24 February 2026 · New Era →
Rudolf Gaiseb, Deputy Minister of Education, said the government will publicly identify local authorities demanding compensation for land needed to build schools, citing delays at Marmer and Oranjemund sites. Parliament members questioned why local authorities are charging fees for land already zoned for government use under planning law.
23 February 2026 · New Era →
The Namibia Institute of Public Administration and Management launched a customer service charter aimed at transforming the public sector by empowering staff, strengthening institutional culture, and promoting accountability. Executive director Heroldt Murangi emphasized the need for public servants to lead by example and improve service delivery, noting the sector still lags behind private sector standards.
23 February 2026 · New Era →
The Namibia Economic Freedom Fighters supports the Petroleum Amendment Bill, which would transfer core upstream petroleum powers from the responsible minister to the President. NEFF parliamentarian Kalimbo Iipumbu said the President must have final approval authority over petroleum sector decisions to protect the industry from regulatory capture and ensure it serves the people, though the Ministry of Industry, Mines and Energy should remain the primary technical and regulatory body.
23 February 2026 · New Era →
The Petroleum Amendment Bill, which would vest petroleum sector oversight powers in the Office of the President rather than the Ministry of Mines and Energy, faced mixed scrutiny in the National Assembly. Critics including Bernadus Swartbooi raised concerns about the legal doctrine of functus officio limiting presidential review powers and complicating court challenges, while others questioned whether oil advisors at State House are already performing duties that legally belong to the ministry.
19 February 2026 · New Era →
The Ministry of International Relations and Trade says it cannot determine what products exporters should trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area, though it encourages value-added goods and provides support for Namibian businesses to compete in African markets. Namibia's intra-African trade reached N$4.7 billion in exports and N$7.7 billion in imports by September 2024, with the country ranking fourth in regional integration.
18 February 2026 · New Era →
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Poverty Eradication, Labour and Industrial Relations hosted a public dialogue bringing together lawmakers, government, industry, unions and civil society to address decent work standards in Namibia's mining sector. National Assembly speaker Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila emphasized that decent work is a constitutional principle, and stakeholders discussed challenges including frequent retrenchments, inadequate safety measures, and inconsistent skills transfer.
18 February 2026 · New Era →
Several Namibian lawmakers have given notice of parliamentary questions on pressing national issues: judicial understaffing and magistrate workload; the country's grey listing status and oil sector regulatory violations; support needed for dairy and poultry sectors amid production gains; drug use and rehabilitation services in schools; and electricity tariff methodology and consumer protection measures.
18 February 2026 · New Era →
With heightened US interest in Namibia's uranium, lithium, and oil resources, Namibian trade officials say they will promote mineral beneficiation, downstream processing, and manufacturing partnerships rather than exporting raw materials alone. The government aims to position Namibia as a stable investment partner and regional logistics hub, with US ambassador visiting the Erongo region to assess energy opportunities including the Orange Basin and Port of Walvis Bay.
17 February 2026 · New Era →
The Ministry of Works and Transport has warned that temporary occupants of government houses must leave when their tenure ends, while sitting tenants in pool houses are guaranteed purchase under an alienation scheme. Minister Veikko Nekundi told Parliament that allowing properties earmarked for specific purposes to be sold to temporary occupants undermines administrative integrity, and that non-civil servants do not qualify to buy government houses as a priority.
12 February 2026 · New Era →
Namibian opposition leaders have divided over a proposed amendment to transfer upstream petroleum powers from the mines and energy minister to the Office of the President. While the government argues the change will strengthen governance of the emerging oil and gas sector, opposition figures including IPC leader Panduleni Itula, APP's Imms Nashinge, and PDM's McHenry Venaani warn that the shift risks undermining parliamentary oversight, constitutional separation of powers, and regulatory accountability.
11 February 2026 · New Era →
Former Botswana president Mokgweetsi Masisi delivered a public lecture at the University of Namibia, highlighting Botswana's role in supporting Namibia's liberation struggle and sheltering genocide victims, while also formally apologizing for killings of Namibian fishermen by the Botswana Defence Force during past border disputes. He emphasized that the two countries have since strengthened bilateral relations through higher-level cooperation platforms and a formalised bi-national commission covering politics, trade, and defence.
11 February 2026 · New Era →
Communal conservancies in the Zambezi region generated approximately N$30 million in 2024 through the Community-Based Natural Resource Management programme, with income sourced from trophy hunting, tourism joint ventures, and interest. The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Natural Resources noted that conservancy members now directly benefit from 50% of income, though the report flagged concerns about hunting quota prices being manipulated in favour of concessionaires and called for programme realignment.
9 February 2026 · New Era →