OTJIWARONGO: A 34-year-old man died instantly in the early hours of Sunday after he was allegedly stabbed in the chest by his girlfriend at their house in Okahandja. Namibian Police Force (NamPol)'s Otjozondjupa Crime Investigations Coordinator, Deputy Commissioner, Edna Nawa, in an interview with Nampa on Sunday said the deceased was identified as Sebedeus Davis. His close relatives were also informed on Sunday about his death, said Nawa. The incident occurred at about 01h05 on Sunday morning at Nau-Aib township at the town, Nawa said. 'It is alleged that Davis and his 40-year-old girlfriend had an argument over food shortly after their arrival home from a drinking place,' Nawa stated. She added that the police's preliminary investigations indicate that the deceased allegedly took a wooden plank and hit the girlfriend while demanding for food. In return, the suspect (girlfriend) who was preparing a meal for him, allegedly pick up a kitchen knife and stabbed Davis once on the left upper chest area. Dav is sustained a deep cut wound, and as he tried to walk a few steps towards the door to exit, he fell down, said Nawa. The suspect walked to the Okahandja Police Station herself and reported the matter. She was apprehended there on a murder charge. However, she was taken to the hospital by the police for the medical treatment on the alleged bruises she sustained in the altercation. A knife suspected to have been used in the stabbing was also found and confiscated by the police. The woman is expected to appear in the Okahandja Magistrate's Court on Monday. Source: The Namibia Press Agency
Mushelenga to attend SADC meeting in Angola
WINDHOEK: Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Dr Peya Mushelenga, is set to travel to Angola to attend the Meeting of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Council of Ministers from Sunday to Monday in Luanda. In his capacity as the Chairperson of the SADC Council of Ministers, Angolan Minister of External Relations Téte António, will chair the meeting. Executive Director in the Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation, Penda Naanda, In a media statement issued on Friday, said the Council of the Ministers meeting was preceded by the meeting of SADC Senior Officials, which took place between 04 and 08 March 2024. 'The Senior Officials were led by Naanda, and Titus Ndove, the Executive Director in the Ministry of Finance and Public Enterprises, as well as other senior government officials from the Ministries of International Relations and Cooperation; Finance and Public Enterprises, as well as Industrialisation and Trade,' the statement said. The Council will review a nd discuss the status of implementation of the SADC Council and summit decisions, as well as the progress on the implementation of the theme of the 43rd SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government, which is 'Human and Financial Capital: The Key Drivers for Sustainable Industrialisation in the SADC Region'. 'The theme seeks to address two of the most critical enablers in supporting regional industrialisation, namely adequate human resources within the context of climate change and the 4th Industrial Revolution, and addressing adequate financial resources to ensure more sustainable funding mechanisms,' Naanda added. Source: The Namibia Press Agency
Kamati calls for indigenous languages to be taught in schools
TSUMEB: Hai//om Traditional Authority (HTA)'s vice chairperson, Ndapandula Kamati, has urged the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture (MoEAC) to teach children in their indigenous languages. Kamati said this during the celebration of International Mother Language Day at Tsumeb on Saturday in the Oshikoto Region. 'We want to be taught in our language and be proud in our language and also on how to do poems, design art in our very own language,' she said. Kamati further expressed disappointment at the fact that some languages, such as hers, are not recognised formally in Namibia. 'It is so unfortunate that our language is not written and we are not even recognised in local schools, which makes it difficult for our learners to go forward with their studies,' said Kamati. MoEAC Director for the Oshikoto Region, Aletta Eises, said they have 7 000 Khoisan speaking learners in schools, and only Khoekoegowab is taught in schools with only 100 learners being taught the language from grade 1 to 12. 'It is high time we stand up for our languages so we preserve them for our future generation,' said Eises. She further urged people to value their languages and stop denouncing them as that is their identity and their pride. 'If the mother tongues are not investing and speaking their languages in their social setting and meetings, then the language will be extinct. Deputy Mayor of Tsumeb, Anmire Garises, at the same occasion urged Tsumeb's Hai//om communities to protect and preserve their culture as well as to recognise its significance in shaping a collective future. 'Let us celebrate the beauty of our mother tongues and recognise the importance of it in our society,' said Garises. She further said that they should wear their traditional attire with pride and speak the language with pride, as well as continue celebrating International Mother Language Day The theme of the event was to set goals for preserving endangered languages, promoting multilingualism and sustaining linguistic heritage. Source: The Namibia P ress Agency
Swapo Central Committee confirms Nandi-Ndaitwah as presidential candidate
WINDHOEK: Swapo Party Vice President, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, will remain the ruling party's presidential candidate for the forthcoming presidential elections later this year. This is among the resolutions adopted at the party's central committee (CC) meeting on Saturday, which also resolved that the ruling party will only hold an extraordinary congress next year. The CC met at Parliament as the ruling party attempted to navigate the turbulent waters and complicated circumstances brought on by the death of party president, Dr Hage Geingob on 04 February 2024. Geingob's demise threw the ruling party into constitutional turmoil ahead of the crucial presidential and national assembly elections. According to the party's constitution, if the party president 'cannot permanently' carry out his or her duties, Article 15 (9) of the Swapo Party the party must elect a new president within three months of the vacancy. The constitution dictates the party to call for an extraordinary congress to elect a new president to complete the term of the former unless such a vacancy occurs six months before the ordinary congress. However, President Geingob's death came more than three years before his term was set to expire in 2027. On Saturday, the CC adopted the recommendations of the Politburo, which has met three times since Geingob's death. One such adoption is to delay the extraordinary congress and confirm Nandi-Ndaitwah as the presidential candidate for the national elections scheduled for 27 November 2024. Swapo spokesperson, Hilma Nicanor, told the media on Saturday that the CC called for an extraordinary congress as per the constitution to take place on 19 April 2025. She said that the congress would 'elect a person to complete the term left unexpired due to Geingob's death.' She further emphasised that the agenda of the extraordinary congress next year 'is limited to electing a person to complete the term left unexpired by the former president.' In addition, Nicanor said the CC took note that the party has, after elections at the seventh ordinary congress, already identified and nominated its presidential candidate for the November 2024 presidential elections, namely comrade Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, its vice president. Nicanor, who is Swapo's secretary for information and publicity, said Nandi-Ndaitwah was elected and declared the winner in the position of vice president. 'In addition to regional engagements, the party, at the highest level of authority, also publicly confirmed and announced at numerous public forums, including at the party's 63rd birthday celebrations that comrade Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah as its presidential candidate,' Nicanor said. She added that Nandi-Ndaitwah has also confirmed and recorded her consent to be the party presidential candidate. Source: The Namibia Press Agency