Day: July 29, 2024

The 59-year-old man who died Saturday when he allegedly fell from a 15-metre high water tank at Otjiwarongo, was on Monday identified by family members as Matheus Utumune.

Namibian Police Force (NamPol) head of community affairs in the Otjozondjupa Region, Senior Inspector Maureen Mbeha, in a media statement said the incident occurred while Utumune was busy with regular maintenance work on the tank, which belongs to the Namibia Water Corporation (NamWater).

‘The incident occurred at 13h00 on Saturday afternoon in the Orwetoveni residential area near the Karundu Primary School,’ said Mbeha.

Preliminary police investigations indicate that the protection belt the deceased was wearing allegedly became loose, and that might have caused him to fall from the tower.

His 37-year-old colleague was rescued from the tank and taken to the Otjiwarongo State Hospital for treatment, Mbeha added.

Police investigations into the matter continue.

Source: The Namibia News Agency

WINDHOEK: A team from the SADC Electoral Advisory Council (SEAC) is currently in Namibia on a pre-election mission to assess the country’s readiness to hold the general elections later this year.

Leonard Sesa, who represents Botswana in the council, told Nampa on Monday that they are in the country for a duration of two weeks to engage with different electoral stakeholders.

‘Our main task is to meet different electoral stakeholders to get the real gist whether the electoral commission is ready to conduct the upcoming general elections. And of course we are talking about November, November, give us two weeks, we will be able to tell whether the electoral stakeholders are all ready for the upcoming general elections,’ Sesa said.

He said the council will assess Namibia’s readiness according to the Southern African Development Community (SADC) standards for democratic elections.

‘Namibia is part of SADC and Namibia has signed the SADC guidelines. They know what that is when we are saying the Member State is r
eady. So we will be here to check if what we have signed for is in order. The standards are a list…have you guys gone for registration, were you guys free and were there no intimidations. This pre-mission is for us to get the essence of [how] Namibia fared in conjunction with preparing for elections,’ he said.

The SEAC team will be meeting with various stakeholders, including the Electoral Commission of Namibia, political parties, government officials, people living with disabilities, and the media.

The team held their first meeting on Monday with officials at the Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation.

Ambassador Jerobeam Shaanika, the Deputy Executive Director and Head of Multilateral Relations and Cooperation, assured the delegation of Namibia’s commitment to democratic governance.

‘Our government remains committed to uphold the principles and guidelines governing the conduct of elections in SADC. We therefore express our wish for the success of the mission, and request that the delegation
engages as many stakeholders as possible, so that your report can reflect the reality on the ground,’ Shaanika said while welcoming the SEAC group.

After completing their mission, the SEAC team is expected to report back to all SADC Member States on whether Namibia is prepared to hold the Presidential and National Assembly Elections on 27 November 2024.

Source: The Namibia News Agency

A 56-year-old male truck driver was arrested at Tcove village in the Kavango West Region on Friday after he reportedly stole fuel from a fuel tanker truck he was driving.

The Namibian Police Force in the region in a weekend crime report here Sunday indicated that the suspect allegedly sold the fuel to motorists at Tcove village along the Rundu-Grootfontein road.

According to the report, the police found three vehicles loaded with containers of fuel abandoned on the scene after the suspected drivers fled when the police arrived.

The vehicles were impounded. Diesel valued at N.dollars 22 070 was stolen.

In an unrelated incident, a 31-year-old man escaped death Friday evening at Mbome village in the Kavango West Region after his hut was allegedly set on fire while he was inside the hut. The victim suffered injuries on his feet.

It is alleged that a male suspect who is not yet arrested, set the victim’s room on fire and it destroyed completely with all his belongings inside the hut

Source: The Namibia News
Agency

Katrina Hanse-Himarwa, former Minister of Education, Arts and Culture, former Governor of the Hardap Region, and teacher to many, died on 14 July 2024 and was buried on 27 July, coinciding with her husband, Ghenno Himarwa’s birthday.

In the heart of Namibia’s Hardap Region lies Mariental, a town recently united to bid farewell to one of its most influential daughters, fondly known as ‘Hurricane Katrina’. Her final journey home served as a poignant reflection of her extraordinary life of 57 years, defined by service, leadership, and a profound connection to her community.

Hanse-Himarwa’s life story reads like an epic tale of perseverance and achievement – from her modest beginnings as a teacher while being a member of the South West Africa People’s Organisation, known as Swapo. In the years of 2004 to 20 March 2015 she became the first female governor of the Hardap Region followed by serving as Namibia’s Minister of Education, Arts and Culture until 09 July 2019, when she resigned after being convicted of co
rruption.

Many remembered her impact as profound and far-reaching. Her legacy extends beyond politics, resonating deeply with the lives she touched – teachers, students, colleagues and community members who all felt the reverberations of her dedication.

On Wednesday, 26 July when her body returned to her hometown Mariental from Windhoek, it cast a sombre shadow over Hardap, resonating with mourning hymns and tears freely shed across the humble town.

People gathered in solidarity to pay their respects as her mortal remains made their final journey home to Mariental.

For her daughter, Philaney Hanse, witnessing this outpouring of love and sorrow evoked a poignant mix of emotions, serving as a bittersweet reminder of her mother’s impact on the region as her mother’s body was transported to her grandmother’s house.

‘Seeing the multitude gather at her grandmother’s house and lining the streets of Mariental left an indelible impression on me,’ Hanse shared with Nampa.

On the day before the body arrived in Mar
iental, Vice President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah visited the Himarwa residence to pay her respects to the family in person.

On Friday, 26 July, the Mariental Municipality honoured her memory by renaming a street to Katrina Hanse-Himarwa. An event she had been aware of and consented to before her passing.

This ceremony, attended by many including Namibia’s Ambassador to the US, Margaret Mensah-Williams, who was one of her close friends, Deputy Minister of Urban and Rural Development Evelyn Nawases-Taeyele, Mariental Mayor Cherien Kock, Hardap Region Governor Salomon April, Mariental Urban Constituency councillor Johannes Esterhuizen, chairperson of the Hardap Regional Council Gershon Dausab, and her husband Ghenno Himarwa with the family, celebrated her transformative journey from educator to governor to minister. It was a journey marked not only by accomplishments but also resilience in the face of adversity, speakers remarked.

In his acceptance speech, husband Himarwa expressed gratitude to the Landless Peop
le’s Movement (LPM) and the Mariental Municipality stating emotionally: ‘My family and I want to thank the leaders in the Hardap Region of the Landless People’s Movement and the Mariental Municipality for ensuring my wife’s legacy will continue in Mariental.’

Mariental Deputy Mayor Andy Boois encouraged the community to uphold Hanse-Himarwa’s spirit of service by saying: ‘Let us pledge to carry forward her spirit of service in all our endeavours.’

Regional council chairperson Dausab emphasised the importance of recognising Hanse-Himarwa’s contributions.

‘It’s important that we acknowledge the late Katrina Hanse-Himarwa, as she played a significant role in the lives of the people of the Hardap Region,’ stated Dausab.

Mayor Kock affirmed the importance of Hanse-Himarwa’s contributions as such: ‘Her impact on our community is immeasurable.’

Nawases-Taeyele remarked: ‘Katrina was revered for her unwavering dedication to education, for the teachers she supported, and the communities she uplifted. She was not
only a leader but a trailblazer who paved the way for others to follow.’

At her funeral service, held on that Friday afternoon at Danie Joubert Combined School, tributes poured in from every corner of Namibia.

Mensah-Williams, speaking on behalf of friends and comrades, conveyed their collective gratitude for Hanse-Himarwa’s profound impact.

‘Katrina was more than a friend; she embodied resilience and unwavering support. Her ability to connect with people was unparalleled,’ said Mensah-Williams emotionally.

The burial took place on Saturday at the Mariental Town Cemetery, where former First Lady Monica Geingos, President Nangolo Mbumba, Nandi-Ndaitwah and many others were present.

In the end, Katrina Hanse-Himarwa’s journey home, marked by solemn tributes and heartfelt celebrations was more than a funeral; it was a testament to the profound impact of a life lived with purpose. As her husband eloquently put it, ‘Her legacy will endure in Mariental.’

How she was sent off was powerful and will always be a
bittersweet memory of the people from the Hardap Region.

Source: The Namibia News Agency

WINDHOEK: The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), together with the Embassy of Japan in Namibia on Monday donated sanitary pads worth over N.dollars 220 000 to girls in six regions of the country.

Minister of Education, Arts and Culture, Anna Nghipondoka shared her gratitude during the handing over ceremony at the Ministry of Health and Social Services (MoHSS) head office.

She said the donations, made possible by the UNFPA Namibia Country Office, with the generous financial support from the Japanese Supplementary Budget under the project ‘Leaving No One Behind’ stands as a commitment to tackling period poverty.

The donations consist of 24 000 packs of sanitary pads to benefit 6 000 vulnerable adolescent girls across the Khomas, Kunene, Omusati, Ohangwena, Zambezi and Erongo regions.

‘Period poverty, as many of us are aware, is not merely a matter of discomfort, but a barrier that can disrupt education, hinder participation in sports, and affect social engagement. For countless girls, it represents a s
ignificant obstacle to their right to education, health and dignity,’ Nghipondoka stated.

She described the contribution as a symbol of solidarity and powerful step towards ensuring that every girl has the opportunity to stay in school, perform well, and participate fully, in all aspects of life.

UNFPA Namibia Representative, Erika Goldson said restoring dignity and reshaping the future for women, girls, men and boys, while mitigating gender-based violence and negative sexual and reproductive health outcomes, have been instrumental in addressing key health challenges in Namibia.

Aside from the sanitary pads to the Education Ministry, the project also donated 67-bed screens on castors, eight ward screening gynaecological couches, six adult physician scales on beam balances, 15 cardiotocography (CTG) machines, three mobile ultrasound scanners with printers and accessories, and six Doppler foetal heart rate detector monitors with accessories to the MoHSS.

It further availed a Mobile Clinic Van to the One Eco
nomy Foundation as part of its commitment to enhancing the health and well-being of Namibians.

All donated items had a combined total value of N.dollars 3 million.

Source: The Namibia News Agency