Kavango West residents high harvesting
Residents in the Kavango West region expect more harvests this year compared to last year.
Rainfall on New Year's Eve has left many celebrating in tents and others in their homesteads, preparing for Thursday, where some say they will plough their fields.
A resident at Musese, Lazarus Shikongo, following the rain which began in December, says that harvest of all types of crops looks promising.
Furthermore, farmers who were unable to plant crops last year due to poor rainfall have been urged to grab the opportunity and start ploughing in the same fields.
Report: Annakleta Haikera
City of Windhoek New Years fireworks
WATCH: Residents of Windhoek celebrate the New Years fireworks on display by the City of Windhoek.
Video: City of Windhoek
WATCH: Residents in Rundu, Kavango East get ready for New years Eve festivities.
WATCH: Residents in Rundu, Kavango East get ready for New years Eve festivities.
Some residents are observed flocking to different shops to buy food items while, for others, it is business as usual.
Video: Annakleta Haikera
AD| National Road Safety Council (Namibia)
AD| National Road Safety Council (Namibia)
Kavango East Governor Bonifatius Wakudumo has warned parents to not allow their young children to drive their cars this festive season, stating that children are more likely to cause accidents than adults.
Wakudumo was speaking at the road safety festive season campaign launched at Masivi this morning in the Kavango East region.
According to Wakudumo, the festive season campaign aims to create a safe environment for all stakeholders, be it parents, traditional leaders, business people, and everyone using the road.
"As a parent you cannot handover your car key to someone who doesn't have a license and thinks they can use the public road. It’s dangerous because children become excited when they're on the road and can cause accidents," Wakudumo added.
"The public roads are for grown ups and for people who have licenses and they are not allowed to use alcohol when they're driving. A safe driver is a person that doesn't use alcohol when driving," Wakudumo explained.
The campaign, which commenced on 18 December 2024, will run until 17 January 2025, focusing on loads on vehicles, execution of warrant of arrest, and roadworthiness of motor vehicles, among others.
Video contributed
Report: Annakleta Haikera
The Landless People’s Movement’s (LPM) Ivan Skrywer has criticised the tight timeline imposed by the court for inspecting the electoral material, noting that the 48-hour period allocated is insufficient, given the vast amount of materials that need to be reviewed.
Under the court’s order, LPM and IPC are allowed to inspect the materials, with each party limited to five representatives. Other political parties are only permitted to observe.
“It’s reckless to expect us to complete this process in such a short time. We have just ten people to review a massive volume of documents. We’ve brought in printers and copy papers because inspecting everything in the allotted time is impossible without them,” he explained.
He also pointed out challenges during the inspection, particularly in terms of taking photographs of the materials.
“The court order is silent on whether we can take pictures, so we insisted. We had to fight to get permission to take pictures of the documents to preserve the evidence, and now we’re able to do so,” Skrywer added.
This inspection follows a case led by the LPM and IPC regarding alleged irregularities in the recent elections.
Report: Justicia Shipena
The Swapo Youth League (SPYL) has expressed support for the ongoing inspection of election documents, which follows a court order.
Speaking to the media, SPYL secretary Ephraim Nekongo acknowledged the importance of the process, emphasising that it reflects the country’s commitment to democracy and the rule of law.
“Democracy is always an expensive exercise, but it is essential to ensure that all voices are heard and that any grievances are addressed. As a nation governed by the rule of law, we must give everyone an opportunity to be heard, which is why the court process is important,” Nekongo said.
The inspection, which began early this morning, allows political party representatives to examine election materials to identify any issues or irregularities.
Report: Justicia Shipena
The Electoral Commission of Namibia - ECN has responded to the court order compelling the inspection of election documents for the National Assembly election, stating it is complying.
Speaking to Eagle FM, ECN Commissioner Pius Ikwambi said the inspection process, which started this morning at 8:00 AM, is being conducted in line with the settlement agreement.
“We fully comply with the court’s order, and there was no opposition from the Commission. The Commission is upholding one of its core values of transparency by fully complying with the terms of the court order,” Ikwambi said.
Report: Justicia Shipena
The Secretary-General of the Popular Democratic Movement (PDM), Manuel Ngaringombe says that the inspection of voting material is a crucial step in determining whether the elections were free of fraud and other irregularities, with hopes that any discrepancies will help support the party's case in court.
Ngaringombe said it is important to verify whether the total number of voters in constituencies aligns with the reported numbers, including those of rejected ballots.
“Our hope through this process is to identify any irregularities that could support our allegations of inappropriate conduct during the elections,” Ngaringombe said.
Ngaringombe spoke to Eagle FM today, as representatives from various political parties are currently inspecting election materials after a court ruling granted the Landless People’s Movement (LPM) and the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) permission to do so.
Report: Justicia Shipena
The Executive Director in the Ministry of Industrialisation and Trade , Diina Nashidengo, echoed the minister’s sentiments stating that the poultry industry is a critical industry in the agricultural sector, contributing to food security, employment creation and income generation.
She emphasised the importance of establishing a fair, transparent and effective system that fosters the growth and development of the poultry industry.
She reiterated the government's commitment to creating a supportive environment for both local farmers and traders.
“The poultry industry has a significant impact on the livelihoods of many Namibians and is experiencing a growing demand,” said Nashidengo.
Report: Dolly Menas
The Ministry of Industrialisation and Trade's Minister Lucia Iipumbu says poultry plays a crucial role in the country’s economy, contributing to job creation, income generation and food security.
She said this during the Poultry Stakeholder consultative meeting on Wednesday.
Iipumbu noted that the ministry has been actively reviewing the poultry policy framework in the past years, stating that the current monthly import limit of 1,200 tonnes is under review this quarter.
The minister reaffirmed the government's commitment to supporting industry players with access to facilities and equipment and encouraged the public to consider poultry farming as a viable avenue for self-sufficiency in poultry consumption, particularly in light of potential future crises like the COVID-19 pandemic.
Iipumbu mentioned that the government is working towards establishing a national tariff board, with the Trade Management Bill currently in advanced stages.
She acknowledged the growth of the poultry sector and the adherence to existing protection measures and urged the nation to support local poultry producers to strengthen the industry and enhance national self-sufficiency.
Report: Dolly Menas
Official page ©
