The Editors’ Forum of Namibia says 2026 will be the final year non-member journalists can enter its annual awards, aiming to strengthen industry accountability and ethics.
Forum chairperson Toivo Ndjebela says the decision is aimed at ensuring that all future participants fall under the media ombudsman’s authority and are bound by the forum’s code of ethics.
“Our most important duty is to make sure that all practitioners in the industry comply with the code of ethics that we all swore to abide by in our work,” Ndjebela says.
He says the current system allows journalists from non-member institutions to enter the awards, even though the media ombudsman cannot summon their organisations in the event of ethical complaints.
“The complexity at the moment is that the media ombudsman, who is an extension of the editors’ forum, can only summon media houses who are members of the forum,” he says.
“In other words, if you trample upon the code of ethics and you are not a member of the forum, the media ombudsman doesn’t have authority to summon you, and that is just extremely wrong.”
Ndjebela says the 2026 awards would serve as a transition year, with all practitioners still allowed to participate.
“From next year onwards, people have to be available for accountability. They should be summoned and answer for their work. You can’t shun that process and then use the backdoor to come and participate in these journalism awards.”
He says the forum wants fairness for everyone this year before the policy change takes effect.
“Everybody is welcome to participate, but from next year onwards, that will be our policy position,” he says.
The announcement comes as First National Bank (FNB) Namibia confirmed a N$250 000 sponsorship for the awards.
“This sponsorship is the alpha and omega of our preparations,” he says.
“There’s just no way that we would have gone ahead with the preparations without the anchor and main sponsorship that you have generously extended to us.”
FNB Namibia spokesperson Kirsty Watermeyer says the bank is sponsoring the journalist of the year and fraud and cyber transparency journalism award categories.
She says the bank’s support reflects the importance of ethical and responsible journalism in keeping the public informed.
“Responsible journalism plays a critical role in educating the public, raising awareness and fostering trust, not only within the financial sector but across society as a whole,” Watermeyer says.
The sponsorship will allow the forum to move ahead with logistical arrangements for the awards in the coming days, including picking the judge, as preparations for this year’s ceremony gather momentum.
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