Month: July 2023

President Hage Geingob has described the late Archbishop Peter Tjijombo as a generous man who had a spirit of friendliness, traits that should motivate present and future generations to commit their lives to serving others.

Geingob expressed these statements in a message of condolence to the family of the late Tjijombo, who died at his home on Sunday morning.

He was 87.

Geingob stated that Tjijombo will be remembered for his selfless service to the community and dedication to the freedom of Namibia.

‘’I have fond memories of Archbishop Tjijombo. Following my return from exile, we forged a connection that remained until his death. I travelled to Gobabis after independence to visit the place through which I travelled when I undertook my journey into exile. To my surprise, I was received in Gobabis by Archbishop Tjijombo and the St. Apostolic Brass Band, which performed excellent renditions. We remained friends ever since. Towards the end of last year, I informed Pastor Mbazuvara that I needed to visit my friend Archbishop Tjijombo in Katutura. We visited Pastor Tjijombo and

enjoyed a good lunch with him and members of the Church, accompanied by the St. Apostolic Brass Band,’’ he said.

“On behalf of the people and the Government of the Republic, I extend my profound sympathies to the bereaved children, family and the St. John’s Apostolic Faith Mission, as the country mourns a cherished man of faith,” the President added.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Nandi-Ndaitwah said Africa’s resources contribute enormously to global development, yet Africa is negatively perceived as a mere supplier of raw materials and incapable of adding value to or developing them.

Nandi-Ndaitwah made this statement on Monday during the two-day inaugural meeting of the high-level panel of experts on Africa and the reform of the multilateral system.

‘While Africa has an abundance of resources, it has little to no control over the global financial systems and international trade rules. Hence, the compelling need to reform the global economic and financial systems to level the playing field. A fairer and more resilient multilateral trading system must be open, transparent and non-discriminatory,’ Nandi-Ndaitwah said.

Nandi-Ndaitwah emphasised that the reform of the multilateral system is a crucial issue for Namibia and Africa, adding that there is a demand for the United Nations (UN) to be reformed in order to ensure regional representation at the UN Security Council.

Solomon Dersso, the Founding Director of Amani Africa, said that from reflections, what has become clear is that this is a moment of challenge but also of opportunity.

‘If the opportunities are harnessed and seized, then initiatives like this are critical and of strategic significance for the African continent, as they would help the continent take leadership and exercise urgency in informing, shaping and reforming the multilateral system,’ Dersso said.

Dersso stated that the only way this moment can be seized and challenges overcome is if Africa takes leadership and action with urgency, adding that this reform has to be comprehensive, touching on the political and economic governance of the international order.

The inaugural meeting by Amani Africa aims to reflect on strategic-level matters related to the current global state of affairs and its impact on Africa, with focus on matters related to a reformed global conflict management and diplomacy architecture and financial system.

Amani Africa Media and Research Services is an independent pan-African policy research, training and consulting think tank with expertise on the African Union system, with a specialisation on the AU Peace and Security Council.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency

Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) president McHenry Venaani said Namibia has lost many Namibians with brilliant minds due to political persecution in the country, who hold immense potential.

One such example he said is exiled Namibian academic Joseph Diescho who is currently based in Germany.

Venaani made this remark during his party’s mega rally at Rundu on Saturday aimed to revitalize all its structures, as the party gears up for the 2024 Presidential and National Assembly elections.

He said there is a beacon of wisdom that the country needs to guide it forward by bringing home Namibians in the diaspora who have carried with them hopes and aspirations of many Namibians before them.

“Professor Diescho is a writer of remarkable talent and a political analyst of exceptional insight who symbolizes the potential that the diaspora holds. We extend our arms to Joseph Diescho and to all Namibians in the diaspora to come back home,” he stated.

According to the PDM leader the return of diaspora leaders holds an immense potential for the country as they bring a wealthy of knowledge and experience having worked in diverse fields and in different cultures contexts.

Namibia’s destiny he said is in the hands of Namibians wherever they may be in the world thus it is important to harness the collective power of the diaspora to propel Namibia forward.

“It is time for the sons and daughters of our land to bring their skills, knowledge and experience back home, to weave their success into the fabric of Namibia’s future,” he noted.

Meanwhile the PDM leader had a strong anti-corruption message, equating the vice to cancer, “a monstrous hydra that eats away the soul of the Namibian nation and degrades their dignity”.

PDM will continue tirelessly advocating for a stable and fair economy, eradicating corruption and monopolistic tendencies to create an economic space wherein every Namibian can thrive.

Hundreds of supporters attended the rally at the packed Dr Romanus Kampungu Secondary School stadium.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency

Bishop Uazenga Ngahahe on Monday described the late archbishop of the St John’s Apostolic Faith Mission Church, Daniel Tjijombo as an honest, cultural and God-fearing man.

Archbishop Tjijombo died on Sunday at his residence.

He was 87.

Ngahahe who is a bishop in the same church, while paying his respect to the late Tjijombo stated that the late archbishop was a man of caliber, a man who only spoke the truth, noting that it was through Tjijombo that he (Ngahahe) gained a father, mentor and teacher.

“We have lost a giant, a leader, a father, a mentor and a teacher, we will continue his legacy. Archbishop Tjijombo took us to foreign countries such as South Africa, Zambia and Zambia where we learnt most of God’s work. He was a loving man and when it came to his family, he loved each one of us no matter the political party difference as it was always family first,” Ngahahe said.

The bishop further stated that the late archbishop was a healer and a counsellor, who helped those with all sorts of problems such as depression and family problems, among others.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency

The Government Institutions Pension Fund (GIPF)’s Board of Trustees has appointed Onno Amutenya as Acting Chief Executive and Principal Officer of the fund on Monday.

In a media statement issued on Monday, Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of GIPF, Nilian Mulemi stated that Amutenya will be taking over the Acting CEO position effective from 05 August 2023 for a period of six months.

The decision to appoint Amutenya as Acting CEO was made in a view of the end of the interim CEO, David Nuyoma’s term on 04 August 2023 to allow for a handover and most importantly with due regard to the process of appointing a substantive CEO, a process that is currently underway, Mulemi said.

The chairperson further stated that Amutenya is the general manager of information systems at the GIPF and that he holds a Masters of Science degree in Financial Economics, a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and a post-graduate certificate in leadership development.

As a member of the executive team, Amutenya has demonstrated good leadership skills and team cohesion. Furthermore, Amutenya played, and continues to play, a critical role in shaping the fund’s information systems strategies that have underpinned the fund’s success in offering efficient and accessible services to its esteem members, Mulemi said.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency

Hundreds of homes have been destroyed by a fire in a poor neighbourhood of the South African port city of Durban.

One person is known to have died in the blaze that tore through the Kennedy Road informal settlement early on Sunday morning, but there are fears that more bodies could be found.

Video footage shows the twisted remains of corrugated iron sheets used to build the shacks amid the smouldering debris.

People can be seen trying to salvage their belongings.

The cause of the fire is not yet known. However, some eyewitnesses say it started when two people, who had been drinking, got into an argument.

A South African Red Cross spokesman described it as a disaster and estimated that about 1,000 shacks may have been destroyed, leaving some 3,000 people homeless.

Siyabonga Hlatshwayo told the eNCA news site that the Red Cross had been distributing hot meals, mattresses and blankets to those affected and he appealed to the public for more donations.

Source: BBC