Day: May 14, 2023

Posted on

Murere sets sights on 2024 Paris Olympics

Namibian upcoming sprinter, Hatago Murere, has set his sight on reaching the qualifying standards for the 2024 Summer Olympic Games set for Paris, France.

The 23-year-old was recently crowned as the national 200 metre (m) champion at the Athletics Namibia National Championships held in Windhoek during April.

In an interview with Nampa on Saturday, the Otjwarongo-based athlete said 2023 has been a good year for him on the track but his biggest goal is to become the first male track and field athlete to emulate Frank Fredricks.

“Since Frank Fredricks retired from sprinting, the country has struggled to get male sprinters to qualify for the Olympics. Next year, Paris will be hosting the 2024 Olympic Games so I have set my goals to at least reach the qualification standards of that championship,” he said.

Murere, who recently ran his personal best of 20.74 seconds in the 200m sprint during the Athletics Namibia National Championships, added that to qualify for the Olympics means he must first do better at the African Games that will be held in Ghana in 2024.

“The Olympics qualifying standard in 200m is 20.16 seconds and my record is 20.74 seconds. If I keep working hard in the 200m, I can reach those times,” he said, adding that despite being hopeful of improving his time in the 200m, he has a long way to go with his 100m sprints.

The sprinter, who is making his maiden appearance as a guide for the Namibia Paralympic Committee team currently on a tour of the World Paralympic Athletics Grand Prix, stated that taking on the guide task is an experience he is enjoying and believes will improve him as an athlete.

“I know schooling is not my strongest point, I therefore pay all my attention to becoming a great athlete like Canadian sprinter Andre De Grasse, who is my inspiration at the moment. I would one day like to win as many medals internationally as Frank Fredricks did,” he said.

Murere also said being crowned national champion in the 200m is not something he takes lightly and will fuel him to continue working hard so his teammate Gilbert Hainuca cannot usurp him, given that he is equally talented.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency

Posted on

Two suicides recorded at Swakopmund

The Namibian Police Force (NamPol) has confirmed two alleged suicides in the Erongo Region over the weekend.

According to NamPol’s Erongo Community Policing Commander, Inspector Ileni Shapumba, in a crime report issued on Saturday, one of the incidents involved a 52-year-old man, identified as Ben Coetzee, who reportedly shot himself in the head with a hunting rifle on Wednesday morning.

The crime report alleges that on Tuesday, the deceased told his landlord that he was going to Walvis Bay to visit and would return the following day.

On Wednesday at about 03h00, the landlord reportedly heard an unusual sound while she was sleeping and awoke to inspect around the house but found nothing and went back to sleep.

“On Thursday, a person who wanted to view the flat in which the deceased lived came by to view the flat but when they could not gain entry after several efforts to contact the deceased, they broke down one of the doors to the flat.

It was after entering the flat that they came across blood flowing from the sleeping room,” Shapumba explained.

The police were then called and found the deceased in a pool of blood with a gunshot wound to the head and hunting rifle next to him, as well as suicide note.

In a separate incident, the body of 48-year-old Johannes Matheus was also discovered on Saturday at the Swakopmund airport, where he reportedly hung himself from the poles of the airport yard.

The body was taken to Swakopmund State Hospital’s Mortuary for storage.

The next of kin in both incidences were informed of the deaths and police investigations continue.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency

Posted on

Men urged to open up about mental health issues

Erongo Governor, Neville Andre Itope, has urged men to open up about mental health issues and seek help in an effort to better themselves.

Itope, whose speech was delivered on his behalf, made the sentiments at the second edition of the Men’s Conference held at Swakopmund over the weekend.

In his speech, Itope commended the event, noting that it is significant to provide a platform for pertinent issues such Gender Based Violence, suicide and mental health to be engaged and deliberated on and to equip the men in society with vital information.

“Many a time, men are confronted with the saying ‘man up’, insinuating that they should not be weak, show emotion and be vulnerable. This discourages men from opening up and talking about issues that hinder them and resolving challenges in a peaceful and amicable manner.

It is for this reason that men resort to anger outbursts that end in gender-based violence or domestic violence cases or suicide,” he expressed.

Statistics by the Namibian Police Force indicated that most of the suicides, GBV, murder cases recorded within the region are by men, who are afraid to speak up due to the pressure from expectations to perform from their partners or society as men.

According to Itope, this is worrisome and requires urgent intervention from all sectors in society.

“It is important to highlight at this juncture that morals, values and ethics play an imperative role in how men handle issues they have to face. Morals and values guide us to act on what is right and good for all, while ethics is the willingness to do the right thing despite the cost or effort involved,” Itope noted.

The governor encouraged all men to speak up, speak out and seek solutions in the right places and further called on the men to hold hands and do what is not only legally correct, but that which is morally correct as well to make society a better and safer place to live in.

The men’s conference was held under the theme: “Stop suffering in silence and speak out for solutions.”

Source: The Namibian Press Agency

Posted on

Judiciary Donates Essential Items To Thika Prison

Thika Prison, which experienced a Cholera outbreak a month ago, has benefitted with food stuffs and other essential items from the court staff in efforts to improve sanitation and living conditions at the facility.

Among the items donated include blankets, soap, foodstuffs, fumigation machine, detergents and mattresses, all geared towards bettering the conditions of inmates.

The Prison’s-In-Charge, Karani Limaye, said the items come as a boost as they are grappling with overcrowding at the facility.

He said the Prison that is meant to hold 300 inmates has over 1,300 prisoners, making them get overwhelmed.

Limaye, however, expressed confidence that the overcrowding challenge is being sorted out.

He at the same time appealed to other Kenyans of good will, to follow suit, by supporting in whichever way they can.

During a recent visit by Correctional Services Principal Secretary (PS), Mary Muthoni, it was revealed that efforts are underway to shift some of the prisoners to the nearby Yatta, Murang’a and Ruiru prisons.

The PS said prisoners should lead decent lives and thus the need to decongest the Thika prison.

Thika Chief Magistrate, Stella Atambo, who led the donation exercise said the donations were as a result of good collaboration between stakeholders in the Criminal Justice System.

Atambo said the Judiciary and Court Users’ Committee, are working around the clock to tackle congestion in the prison, saying they are currently reviewing a list of 162 cases of petty offenders, in a bid to prefer Non-Custodial Sentences.

She added that every Friday, the court sends a Magistrate to visit the prison, to review bond terms, which is among the raft of measures of decongesting the Prison.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Posted on

Labour Market, Migration Information System Crucial To Avoid Problems of Citizens Working Abroad: PM Abiy

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said the labor market and migration information system, operationalized by the Ministry of Labor and Skills is crucial to fill foreign employment gaps and avoid problems which citizens have been facing abroad.

The premier made the remark today after visiting the Labour Market and Migration Information System, which was developed and put into operation by the Ministry of Labor and Skills.

“Today, I visited the Labor Market and Migration Information System, which has been put into operation by the Ministry of Labor and Skills.”

“The role of the system in modernizing the information management system of citizens working abroad in avoiding the problems that they used to face and filling employment gaps is significant,” he added.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

Posted on

Activities Being Carried Out To Produce Air Pollution Free Aviation Fuel in Ethiopia :Ethiopian Airlines

Ethiopian Airlines Group said activities are being carried out to produce air-pollution-free aviation fuel, according to the Ethiopian Airlines Group, Board Chair, Girma Wake.

Ethiopian is in a position to achieve the commitment set by ICAO to fly net zero emission by 2050, it was indicated.

Ethiopian Airlines Group Board Chairman, Girma Wake said that theAirlines is adopting modern practices by following changing circumstances of the aviation industry.

Accordingly, a study has been completed to locally produce air pollution free aviation fuel, he said.

Girma added that consultation with the government and the private sector with a view to taking practical action is underway.

The Boeing Company, Airbus and IATA are providing support to us, he said.

“The study was completed and we want to expand it with relevant government and private stakeholders. The aircrafts that have come out lately are using it, which means it’s definitely something that can be distributed around the world. In Ethiopia, there are many things that can be used for that production. It’s a matter of producing at the factory level. We want individuals, government organizations, and us to come together and let Ethiopia get there first, without being left behind. Hopefully, we’ll be there before 2050. The government is working on it. Boeing is helping us, Airbus is helping us, and so we believe we will get there.”

Ethiopian Airlines Group, CEO Mesfin Tassew on his part stated that activities have been initiated to produce air pollution-free fuel in the country.

The airline is working closely with fuel supply companies and technology institutions.

“ICAO recently issued a plan that states that the aviation industry must be carbon neutral by 2050. Ethiopian Airlines should also fulfill that target. We are also discussing on how to start and grow this sustainable aviation fuel (SAF0 at Boeing aircraft. This SAF must be produced in a special way; the input is agricultural products. We need factories that will allow us to convert it into jet fuel, so we are talking with fuel suppliers and companies that have the technology, and we will find a way to produce this fuel in Ethiopia.”

Air pollution-free aviation fuel is produced from feed by-products and avoids carbon emissions throughout the life cycle.

Air pollution-free aviation fuel derived from various by-products is called Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF).

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

Proudly powered by WordPress