Category: General

The Namibian Police Force (NamPol) in the Kavango West Region launched the 2023/24 Festive Season Operation and Road Safety Campaign at Nkurenkuru on Tuesday.

The campaign is aimed at achieving a reduction in crashes, injuries, and fatalities, through targeted action against common road offences such as speeding, drinking and driving, overloading, and unfit vehicles, which are the leading causes of fatal road crashes in Namibia.

Speaking during the launch of the operation, NamPol Kavango West Regional Commander, Commissioner Julia Sakuwa-Neo said this year her region recorded 10 road fatalities while 13 people died last year.

‘All fatalities were a result of pedestrians being bumped on the road,’ she said.

She said it is evident that with the upcoming festive season, national roads still remain darkened by the occurrence of tragic road accidents that tend to increase during the festive period.

‘NamPol therefore calls for the critical need to deploy traffic law enforcement members and the continuous coll
aboration with all stakeholders to ensure that Namibia reaches its decade of action goals of reducing fatalities by 50 per cent by 2030,’ she said.

The operation is also directed towards curbing general crime in the region.

Apart from road safety awareness, the regional commander said a number of children are also frequenting drinking places in the region.

She cautioned shebeen owners not to sell alcohol to minors and urged parents to take charge and monitor their children’s whereabouts.

Motor Vehicle Accident (MVA) Fund case coordinator in the two Kavango regions, Lukas Shikongo said the fund conducted research on the cause of car crashes in six regions, including Kavango West, and found that 72 per cent of crashes are due to human behaviour, with actions ranging from overspeeding, overloading, and overtaking at blind spots, to the use of electronic devices while driving.

The festive season campaign will end early January 2024.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency

President Hage Geingob has gratefully acknowledged the successful conclusion of the ninth edition of the Dr Hage Geingob Football Cup that took place over the weekend.

Geingob on his Facebook page on Wednesday noted that the ‘incredible and passionate’ fans turned out in tens of thousands at Independence Stadium to watch the Namibian Legends battle it out against the South African Legends, plus the main game which saw Eeshoke Chula Chula Football Club (FC) beat African Stars FC a goal to nil in a high-quality and entertaining game of football.

‘The ninth edition of the Hage Geingob Cup showed that Namibians will rally behind their favourite football clubs and the national team when football is organised in an orderly, consistent, and inclusive manner through the relevant structures,’ said Geingob.

President Geingob further thanked the Dr Hage Geingob Cup organising committee and the sponsors, who ensured that Namibians turned out in the overwhelming numbers to support the cup.

‘MTC, Bank Windhoek and Nam
ibia Breweries, for their support and commitment to the Hage Geingob Cup, have made a lasting impact in the community and the sports fraternity by nurturing talent and providing a platform for Namibians to celebrate together,’ he said.

Geingob added that the media plays an important role in the dissemination of information and entertainment and thanked all the media houses that have embraced this event over the years and also ensured that information reaches many audiences for the purpose of entertainment and the projection of the values of inclusivity the cup embodies.

Galz and Goals defeated Ongos FC 1-0 in the Dr Hage Geingob Cup second match on Saturday.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency

Nine days ahead of the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 28) in Dubai, Anna Shigwedha, Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform, emphasised the importance for joint efforts to address the challenges of climate change.

‘We are in a climate crisis that has largely been caused by more industrialised economies,’ Shigwedha said in a keynote address delivered at the SASSCAL Climate Change Dialogue Namibia Conference in Windhoek on Tuesday.

‘It is an important time in the history of Africa as the world is getting ready to compensate Africa through climate change laws and a damage fund,’ Shigwedha asserted. The SASSCAL conference serves as a platform for government ministries, experts and other key stakeholders to deliberate on climate issues critical to national climate change policies.

The deputy minister’s address touched upon the necessity of sustaining institutions like SASSCAL, the Southern African Sciences Service Centre for Climate Change and Adaptive Land Management, and the
importance of regional collaboration.

Shigwedha acknowledged Namibia’s commitment to the cause through the signing and ratification of the SASSCAL treaty, and urged other member states to follow suit. She emphasised the need for SASSCAL to expand its membership beyond the current states of Angola, Botswana, South Africa, Zambia, Germany and Namibia, recognising that climate change knows no borders.

Looking ahead, Shigwedha revealed details regarding the construction of the SASSCAL headquarters.

‘The construction is expected to commence at the end of this quarter or 2024,’ she said. The government is funding the project with N.dollars 36 million.

In addition, the deputy minister championed the advancement into renewable energy, particularly through green hydrogen initiatives.

‘As a part of the joint communiqué between Namibia and Germany SASSCAL is overseeing the establishment of the first green hydrogen village in Africa, Daures Green Hydrogen Village,’ said Shigwedha, calling the construction of the vil
lage ‘a milestone’.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency

Athletics coach Henk Botha has expressed his excitement over Namibia’s Olympic Games silver medallist, Christine Mboma, returning to the athletics track in April next year.

Earlier this year, Mboma was banned from competing in athletics events by World Athletics due to high testosterone levels.

The sport’s governing body announced that female athletes with differences in sexual development, resulting in high naturally occurring levels of testosterone, would need to reduce their blood testosterone to below 2.5 nanomoles per litre (nmol/l) for a minimum of 24 months to compete competitively once again.

However, Botha revealed that World Athletics has granted approval for Mboma to compete in the 100 metre (m) and 200m events, but not in the 400m, 800m and 1 500m.

‘Christine (Mboma) has received approval from World Athletics to resume competing in the 100m and 200m events. This follows the completion of treatment to lower her testosterone levels to the prescribed limit of 2.5,’ he said.

Botha said he was lo
oking forward to Namibia’s female Olympic medallist making her return to the track in April 2024.

‘We got the news from World Athletics a month ago, and she is ready to compete once more. The main thing is it was difficult to train without knowing what you are training for, but with this announcement, we are currently busy with power sessions and gym sessions which we are using as part of her early preseason,’ Botha said.

The coach stated that in January 2024, they plan to start with serious training sessions involving a lot of track and endurance work.

‘Christine and I see this as an opportunity to show the world that we can make a difference and be a powerhouse in athletics even though this will be a steep challenge. We are looking forward to making all Namibians proud once more,’ he said.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency

An improved transport network system for Namibia and the rest of Africa is key in contributing to African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA’s) Agenda 2063 goal of a single market for goods and services.

According to works and transport minister, John Mutorwa, the significance of the AfCFTA cannot be overstated as it is the world’s largest new free trade area since the establishment of the World Trade Organisation in 1994.

Mutorwa made these remarks in a speech delivered on his behalf on Tuesday at Swakopmund during the launch of the 13th Joint Law Enforcement Operation conducted by the Trans-Kalahari Corridor Management Commitee (TKCMC) comprised of Botswana, Namibia and South Africa.

‘Transport is the backbone of any economy and ministries that are responsible for transport are technically able to achieve governmental, regional, continental and global objectives, as they are tasked with the responsibility to oversee all four transport modes, namely aviation, maritime, road and rail,’ he expressed.

He
added that due to the fact that people and cargo move across borders, a number of transport bilateral and multilateral agreements have also been developed and entered into by different countries, including the TKCMC, SACU agreement on Transport, among others.

The TKCMC initiative was established in order to ensure that only legal goods, people and services are allowed to move through the corridors.

Inspector General of the Namibian Police Force (NamPol), Lieutenant General Joseph Shikongo, stressed the need to ensure safety and security along the corridor and not a free haven for criminals.

‘Looking at the 13th Joint Law Program, a clear message has been sent that no illegal activities will be allowed on the corridor.

In line with our mandate, we will do our part to ensure that security is maintained on our corridor. This also means that the Namibian Police Force is responsible to secure movements of our goods and services on the corridors,’ he added.

Executive Director of Kalahari Corridor Secretariat,
Leslie Mpofu, noted the need to view the various development corridor initiatives against the backdrop of a number of socio-economic imperatives that are facing the region.

‘These include the need to increase the rate of economic growth in the region, the need to develop the regional economy in a manner that would render it far more diversified, stronger and internationally competitive.’

Source: The Namibian Press Agency

The two Tanzanian men who were arrested after they were allegedly found in possession of drugs worth N.dollars 1.1 million made their first court appearance in the Keetmanshoop Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.

The accused persons, Japhari Rashiri and Juma Juma, both aged 22, made their court appearance before magistrate Mulunda Masiku, who postponed their case to 08 December 2023 for further police investigation and for the accused persons to acquire legal representation.

During the court proceedings, Rashiri indicated to the court that he will acquire legal representation through the Directorate of Legal Aid, while Juma said he will represent himself.

The State was represented by Marlon Adams.

Rashiri and Juma are each charged with one count of dealing in dependence inducing substances.

The duo was arrested through a police intelligence-led operation on Thursday at 13h34, some 51 Kilometres on the Grunau/Keetmanshoop road.

Cannabis weighting 22 kilogrammme with a street value of N.dollars 1.1 million wa
s found in a truck that the two were travelling in.

The two men remain in custody at the Keetmanshoop Police holding cells until their next court appearance.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency