Namibia’s judiciary has been widely praised around the world as independent of the political ruling elite. It is difficult to disagree with such an assessment. Worryingly, however, the same Namibian courts have also too frequently and too easily been used…

Mama, Meekulu, Ousie, mother, madam… whatever epithet or title used points to the weight of aspirations Namibian voters have placed in president-elect Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, aka NNN. Barring a reversal of the elections amid opposition challenges, followed by unlikely different voter…

Election authorities made a bad situation worse by reopening voting at a few polling stations, suppressing the release of results at polling stations and arrogantly refusing to involve all key stakeholders in their decisions. Late Thursday evening, the Elsie Nghikembua-led…

Namibia’s electoral processes have been civil for years. It was disheartening to see an ugly war of words erupt between political leaders such as Swapo’s Sophia Shaningwa and Independent Patriots for Change spokesperson Imms Nashinge at the ECN’s head office…

Mistakes happen. some are tolerable. But the monumental mess the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) visited on highly enthusiastic voters on Wednesday is beyond the pale. The ECN had one job: To ensure free, fair and credible elections. Instead, it…

Election campaigns come to an end this weekend, paving the way for voters to deliver their verdict at polling booths and ballot boxes on 27 November. Unfortunately, we have seen several incidents of rogue violence involving some political parties attempting…

Police chief Joseph Shikongo has surely crossed the line when it comes to law enforcement by unilaterally and unreasonably banning a protest by people advocating the legalisation of dagga, the marijuana plant. Shikongo told the Ganja Users of Namibia (GUN)…

If not for propaganda and looting, why must taxpayers fork out nearly N$70m more compared to last year for the NBC, Nampa and New Era? This year, the three institutions have been given N$365 million to spend, compared to just…

For years, the government has showered traditional leaders with gifts or favours in return for loyalty to Swapo. But as the years go by, it has become clear this relationship has become untenable, especially in some areas where jobs and…

From Kavango to Kunene, down south across the breadth and width of Namibia, the scramble for the country’s mineral, oil and energy sources is in overdrive. Lithium, petroleum, uranium, gas and green hydrogen have propelled Namibia to the equivalent of…

Statistician general Alex Shimuafeni has a point in saying the public should accept official data as factual compared to partisan speculation, especially from political parties. Shimuafeni was downplaying criticism by Affirmative Repositioning leader Job Amupanda who claimed unemployment has ballooned…

Paying lip service to the concepts of transparency and credibility will not engender trust in the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN). Until ECN chairperson Elsie Nghikembua, her fellow commissioners, chief electoral and referenda officer Peter Shaama and his top executive…