Category: General

The Namibian Police Force in the Oshikoto Region have opened a case of concealment of birth against a 38-year-old woman after she allegedly gave birth to a baby boy and dumped him in crop fields.

According to the region’s crime investigations coordinator Deputy Commissioner Titus Ekandjo on Saturday, the incident happened on Friday around 12h00 at Oniimwandi village.

The suspect is admitted at Onandjokwe District Hospital.

‘It is alleged that the suspect gave birth to a baby boy in a Mahangu crop field on Friday and placed the baby in a plastic bag, tied it up, hid the plastic bag in a bucket and left it in the crop field,’ Ekandjo said.

He said the suspect’s housemates discovered some bloodstains in the house and started questioning the suspect, who then admitted to have given birth and dumping the baby body.

The baby body was taken to the Onandjokwe State Hospital mortuary for a post-mortem to be conducted.

The suspect is not arrested yet and investigations continue.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency

Ministry of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation Cabinet Secretary Zachary Mwangi Njeru has reiterated the Government’s commitment to construct 100 mega-dams to improve the water and sanitation situation in the country and food security as well.

Mr Njeru said out of the 100 proposed mega dams, 34 of them have already been earmarked for development, adding that the funding of the projects will be done through public private partnership (PPP) and added Government will be engaging various private organisations to help fund the projects.

‘These are major projects that require mega funding and the Government is therefore seeking to engage our development partners in the projects,’ Njeru said.

The CS also said they were working closely with other government ministries to implement the Bottom -Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) and cited the ongoing affordable housing project in the Ministry of Lands and Settlement which he said requires water and sanitation infrastructure without which the project will come to
naught.

He was speaking in Naivasha on Saturday during a meeting with water sector heads from his ministry.

‘Two weeks ago the President launched Medium Term Plan 4(MTP4) and therefore we are meeting with heads of departments and Chief Executive Officers(CEOs) of water works development authorities to see to it that the projects align to the MTP4,’Njeru remarked.

The CS noted that the Government was committed to see works on the stalled Itare Dam in Nakuru commence again and negotiations on the matter is progressing well.

‘This dam holds the solution to the water challenges facing Nakuru residents and its environs and we are keen to seen it revived,’ he said.

The construction of the mega dam stalled in September 2018 after a firm which won the tender went under.

The Italian firm, CMC Di Ravenna, the main contractor which won the tender in 2014 filed for bankruptcy causing the multibillion shilling dam project to stall indefinitely.

Itare Dam that has already gobbled Sh11 billion since construction bega
n in April 2017 now remains an incomplete project.

Last year, the then Principal Secretary(PS) Water and Sanitation Paul Ronoh was quoted saying the mega project, which is located in Kuresoi South in Nakuru County, had been allocated Sh38 billion in the 2023/2024 budget.

The project, estimated to cost the government over Sh38 billion on completion, and was at 11 per cent complete in terms of civil works and 27 per cent complete overall before it stalled.

Once completed, the Itare Dam will have the capacity to hold 27 million cubic metres of water and produce 100,000 cubic metres of water per day for Nakuru residents and beyond.

It will benefit the residents of Kuresoi, North and South; Molo and Njoro Sub-counties; as well as Nakuru City and its environs.

The multi-billion-shilling dam project was anticipated to provide clean drinking water to about 800,000 residents of Nakuru County and was also slated for expansion of Lake Nakuru sewerage treatment plant.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Eleven houses where destroyed by strong winds and rain at Onderombapa in the Aminuis Constituency of the Omaheke Region on Thursday.

Families in the settlement were left destitute after the heavy rain left them with houses with roofs blown away, walls destroyed, crops destroyed and one vehicle wrecked.

Representing the Omaheke Regional Council, Aminuis Constituency councillor Peter Kazongominja affirmed that 11 houses were destroyed, saying the regional disaster risk management was tasked to assess the situation and will decide on the way forward. He urged the government to approach this situation differently than in other previous disasters.

‘We had the same problem at Otjongombe two years back and up to date nothing was done to assist our people, we did the same thing we are doing now assessing the situation. I am urging our government to act this time so that we assist our people,’ Kazongominja said.

Naomi Kandjii, the 72-year-old owner of the car smashed by a tree during the storm told this agency tha
t it was a great loss to her and others who were affected directly and indirectly by the storm.

‘As you can see that car is totally destroyed, I am stranded, I do not know what to do right now. No one sustained any injuries although some of those big trees fell on our roofs. I am pleading to our government to come to our aid, we need food as our food was destroyed too,’ she said.

Other villagers from that area claimed that the rain lasted only for half an hour and was accompanied by a very strong wind, something they said rarely happened there.

Terii Kanguvi, senior traditional councillor in the Ovaherero Traditional Authority said the rain came very fast and caused the damages, adding they received 80mm in just a few minutes.

‘We are busy now trying to assist where we can and we are also asking for anyone who can help during this difficult time to come forth, while we are waiting on the government to help our people with destroyed houses and properties,’ Kanguvi said.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency

Oshikoto regional coordinator for Swapo, Armas Amukwiyu said it is time for youth to rise as they have been groomed by the Swapo Party to take up positions of governance at all levels.

Amukwiyu made the remarks on Saturday during the Oshikoto Swapo Party Youth League (SPYL) executive committee meeting underway at Oniipa, quoting that with privilege comes great responsibility.

According to Amukwiyu, they must uphold the highest standards of party discipline, symbolising unity of purpose and action in everything they do.

He indicated that as bona fide members of the Swapo Party, they carry the legacy of struggle, the legacy of sacrifice, and the legacy of victory.

‘We fought tirelessly, shedding blood, sweat, and tears, to secure our political independence. And now, as we enter the second phase of our struggle, we must channel our energies towards the economic and diplomatic battles that lie ahead,’ he said.

He urged the party youth not to forget the core principles of their party ideology – ‘Socialism with Namibian characteristics’ – which means defeating ethnic divisions and identifying first and foremost as Namibians.

‘It means fighting relentlessly against corruption and all social ills that threaten our developmental goals,’ he added.

Amukwiyu also reminded the youth that as they approach the November 2024 general elections, they should remember the power of voting, and should mobilise their fellow youth, ensuring that every eligible voter is registered with the Electoral Commission of Namibia.

He called on the youth to champion the candidacy of Vice President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, the Swapo Party Presidential candidate and make people understand that she will not lead alone; she will lead with the full support of the Swapo Party, its structures, and its systems.

Meanwhile SPYL leader assigned to Oshikoto, Willem Amutenya indicated that young people make up 71.1 per cent of the national population.

He said this clearly means the electoral decision is in the hands of young people.

‘We should work harder for fellow young people, for the Swapo Party and our presidential candidate to emerge victorious and continue with its legacy,’ he said.

Amutenya stressed that Swapo has entered into a contract with the people of Namibia through its manifesto – and they all have the responsibility to work towards its fulfilment.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency

WINDHOEK: A 33-year-old male paramedic student from the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) died on Thursday during a practical session at the City of Windhoek (CoW) Emergency Training Centre.

A media statement issued on Friday by CoW said the incident happened at about 15h00 when the student was participating in a practical component of confined space training, which is part of their second-year Bachelor of Emergency Medical Care training requirements.

‘This training session was conducted in collaboration with NUST, as per the Memorandum of Understanding between the two institutions,’ it reads.

The statement further noted that immediate basic life support measures were initiated, and the student was promptly transported to the Katutura Intermediate Hospital for further medical attention, however he succumbed despite the efforts.

‘An investigation into the circumstances surrounding this incident is ongoing, and the City of Windhoek is fully cooperating with the relevant authorities,’ it ad
ded.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency

University of Namibia (UNAM) Vice Chancellor, Prof Kenneth Matengu said N.dollars 10 million has been allocated this year for the construction of lecture halls as part of the first phase of the southern campus development cycle.

Matengu revealed this during the 2024 UNAM Southern Campus graduation ceremony here on Friday, saying more funds are expected over the next two years to ensure that the first phase is completed. The construction of the first of five phases started in 2016 and it has cost Government N.dollars 93 million already.

He said the university, with strong support from the government is convinced that things will change for the better and more and better facilities will be built and more students enrolled.

‘The construction of these facilities will enable UNAM to solidify its position as the scientific and research and development partner for the emerging sectors of oil and gas, green hydrogen and other renewable energy resources as well as the exploration and exploitation of critical minerals that the country is so richly endowed with. We know what the skills gaps are and we will work to address them,’ Matengu said.

Speaking at the graduation ceremony, President of Namibia and UNAM Chancellor Nangolo Mbumba said he was concerned about the under representation of graduates from the two southern regions at university level, urging stakeholders to encourage students from the regions to enrol into university.

‘We are doing well nationally, more needs to be done to increase the numbers of graduates in the Hardap and ||Kharas regions. In this context, I would like to strongly appeal to the parents, families, communities, educational officials and councillors to join hands and encourage more students from the southern regions so that we can increase their participation and success at the university level,’ he urged.

Mbumba said the government remains committed to the development and wellbeing of the youth in the southern areas, as well as nationally, adding that the government has lived up to the expectation of ensuring quality education for the youth to use as a tool to empower themselves to advance their lives.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency