UPDATE: The Namibian Police Force has announced that it has arrested a total of 222 suspects in relation to drug busts during December 2025. Kauna Shikwambi, national spokesperson of the Namibian Police Force, confirmed the arrests, which she said included 214 Namibians, one Angolan, three Congolese, one Burundian, and three Zambian nationals. The drugs seized include 1,078,586.2 kg of cannabis, 19,131 Mandrax tablets, 28 grams of cocaine powder, 177.5 units of crack cocaine, 38 grams of crystal meth, and 36 abortion tablets. Picture for illustrative purposes only. Photo: NBC Digital News The post 222 arrested in Namibia December drug busts appeared first on Informanté.

Zambia has successfully concluded its extended International Monetary Fund Credit Facility programme. Zambia's Minister of Finance Situmbeko Musokotwane said the country will now immediately begin engagement on a successor arrangement that places stronger emphasis on economic growth, investment and job creation. In a statement issued on Thursday, Dr. Musokotwane clarified Government's position as the country approaches the final stages of the IMF-supported programme, which began in 2022. He confirmed that Zambia has opted not to pursue a previously envisaged one-year extension of the existing Extended Credit Facility, but to transition to a new, full-term programme aligned with evolving national priorities. While the successor framework will continue to address the completion of Zambia's external debt restructuring, it will also accommodate broader medium-term development needs, particularly the acceleration of economic growth. “Government's focus is now on leveraging macroeconomic stability to drive investment, expand productive capacity and create jobs. Engagement with the IMF on a successor framework will therefore prioritise growth-oriented structural reforms, value addition, investment mobilisation and inclusive economic opportunities." Dr. Musokotwane underscored that Zambia has, since 2022, completed all programme reviews without interruption, with a staff-level agreement on the sixth and final review reached last month. That review, he noted, is now subject to consideration and approval by the IMF Executive Board, in line with established procedures. Zambia's performance under the programme has been exceptionally strong, with all key quantitative targets and structural benchmarks met. This track record has underpinned macroeconomic stabilisation, including sustained fiscal consolidation, with primary fiscal surpluses exceeding two percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and strengthened confidence in public financial management. Dr. Musokotwane said the reforms have helped restore economic stability, improve resilience to shocks and support progress on debt restructuring. He added that the policy environment created under the programme has also enabled Zambia to benefit from favourable copper prices by reviving mining operations, noting that higher prices alone would have delivered little without increased production capacity. #NBCNews #nbcdigitalnews #nbcDSTV282 #nbcGOtv20 #nbcPlusApp

ECN denies underpayment claims for 2025 election staff NBC Online Thu, 01/08/2026 - 21:19

Zambia successfully completes extended IMF credit facility programme NBC Online Thu, 01/08/2026 - 21:14

The ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2026 is officially underway, with Namibia proudly serving as host. As part of the celebrations, Windhoek will come alive with a city parade welcoming teams, officials, and cricket fans. CoW Communications Manager Harold Akwenye provides further details. #NBCNews #nbcdigitalnews #nbcDSTV282 #nbcGOtv20 #nbcPlusApp

Swakopmund beach tourism businesses feel holiday slowdown NBC Online Thu, 01/08/2026 - 21:00

Small tourism businesses along Swakopmund's beach are beginning to feel the slowdown as the holiday season comes to an end.  Operators say while December brings strong business, the quieter months remain a challenge, highlighting the importance of year-round tourism. Kayaks lined up on the sand and hundreds of tourists soaking up the last of the summer sun.  This remains a familiar sight at Swakopmund's Mole area during the festive season. For Swakop Kayaks, December is the busiest time of the year. “We're all about fun in the water here in the Mole area. Here in Swakop, you find us during December and holidays, peak seasons, maybe in the weekends or bookings by pohone call. We basically rent out kayaks,” an employee Alfred Apollus said. But as January progresses, the crowds begin to thin. “So the typical day in December, Decembers are usually quite hot. LINK there's a lot of people on the beach not quite like now but from early in the morning and then they just keep on coming and coming. There's a lot of people that come after five. So business is, the things are fully booked and the people just want to go on and it's crazy. But then when the peak season starts to go down and the people are starting to go home, LINK and then it just starts to become more and more quiet here on the beach,” according to another employee Sidney Apollus. Apollus said while business slows down after the festive season, affordable pricing helps keep locals coming back, especially on weekends. During the off-season, the business does not operate daily. Staff take on other work, including construction, and only open when weather and demand allow. Apollus believed innovation is key to surviving beyond peak tourism months. “Tourists book activities before they even arrive. Small businesses like us need to be on social media and online platforms so people can see us in advance.” Just a few metres away, beach photographer Fillemon Levi is also feeling the seasonal shift. “December is a blessing month. I can get 20 to 30 customers a day. January is very dry compared to December.” When business is slow, Levi relies on graphic design work to make ends meet. Both operators say tourism plays a vital role in supporting families and the local economy. “Tourism puts food on the table. Tourists come to experience our country, and we give back by giving them a good experience,” added Sydney Apollus from Swakop Kayaks.  As Swakopmund settles into the quieter months, small businesses hope that stronger promotion and innovation will help keep tourism flowing and not just in December, but throughout the year. #NBCNews #nbcdigitalnews #nbcDSTV282 #nbcGOtv20 #nbcPlusApp

IShowSpeed, real name Darren Jason Watkins Jr., is a world-famous American YouTuber and streamer known for his energetic online content. He is currently on a 20-country tour across Africa, with Namibia included as one of the destinations. However, his planned visit has drawn public attention after aviation clearance was not granted. Nelson Ashipala, Manager for Stakeholder Engagement and Communications at the Namibia Civil Aviation Authority, provides further details. #NBCNews #nbcdigitalnews #nbcDSTV282 #nbcGOtv20 #nbcPlusApp

Gratomic Inc. Announces 15-Year Renewal of Mining Licence ML215 in Namibia  Investing News Network

January is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month, a time dedicated to raising awareness about one of the most preventable yet life-threatening cancers affecting women. Cervical cancer continues to claim lives, largely due to late detection and limited access to screening. Early testing, vaccination, and awareness remain our strongest tools in the fight against this disease. Dr Cornelia Ndifon from Sterling Medical Centre. #NBCNews #nbcdigitalnews #nbcDSTV282 #nbcGOtv20 #nbcPlusApp

Russia says the seizure of its Marinera oil tanker by the U.S. could lead to a further escalation of military and political tensions in the Euro-Atlantic region, as well as a visible lowering of the “threshold for the use of force” against peaceful shipping. In a strongly worded statement, its Foreign Ministry said other countries and entities may also feel entitled to act in similar ways, with a precedent being set by the U.S. The comments came after the UK revealed that it had helped U.S. Coast Guard authorities intercept the tanker for allegedly violating the Trump administration’s blockade on Venezuela’s oil. Russia accused the UK, a country it said has a long history of maritime robbery, of being “particularly smitten with predatory intentions” of the U.S. It also dismissed as “extremely cynical” Washington’s suggestions that the seizure of the Marinera vessel is part of a broader strategy to establish unlimited U.S. control over Venezuela’s natural resources. “We consider the US's references to its national 'sanctions legislation' to be unfounded. Unilateral restrictive measures by the US, as well as those of other Western countries, are illegitimate and cannot serve as justification for attempts to establish jurisdiction, much less the seizure of vessels on the high seas,” the Ministry said. It further noted that the lives and health of the Marinera’s crew, which includes citizens of several countries, are at risk, adding that the American side should ensure humane and dignified treatment of those aboard by strictly respecting their rights and interests and allowing them to return home as quickly as possible. Russia maintains that the vessel received temporary permission to fly the Russian flag on December 24 in accordance with international and Russian law and was innocently passing through international waters in the North Atlantic en route to a Russian port. It said U.S. officials had “repeatedly received reliable information regarding the vessel's Russian affiliation and its civilian, peaceful status” and dismissed claims that the tanker was sailing “without a flag” or “under a false flag”. #NBCNews #nbcdigitalnews #nbcDSTV282 #nbcGOtv20 #nbcPlusApp

Vendors at the Havana four-way along Eneas Peter Nanyemba Road in Windhoek are concerned about their business operations once road construction commences there. They expect the City of Windhoek to move them to a suitable area where they can continue to sell their products, which they stress is their only means of income. Andjamba Johannes had this to say.“You cannot just move the people from here and just leave them to be at home like that. They have nowhere to get their bread if you move them here and then you do not put them somewhere else.” Teopolina Nghitombo also raised her concerns.“You want to remove us from here. This is where we get our money to feed our kids. If you want to remove us, should we just stay at home"? “We will have a problem at this place. It will ruin our plans. We don't know where we will be taken from here,” asked Brucely Kaluhapa. Another concerned vendor is Denitolia Ngipangwela.“The problem is this road is where we get money to feed our children. So, if we won't be selling along the road, we need a permanent place from which to sell our things.” Elia Salom is also in the dark about his business.“I hear we will be going to Ongos, but I don't think that is a good idea. It is very far, and some of us stay here. If we go all the way there, who will support us"? NBC News reached out to the Communications Manager at the City of Windhoek, Harold Akwenye, who said the City is aware of the vendors and recognises the importance of informal trading to them as a means of making a living. He stated that the City will carry out the construction process in a humane, orderly, and lawful manner and that the municipality has already identified a site to which the vendors will be relocated. “The city has already earmarked an alternative site where the vendors will be relocated, and they are aware of that as well. However, before relocation takes place, the city needs to install electricity and other basic facilities at the identified site. Our priority as the City of Windhoek is to ensure public safety, allow road construction to proceed without obstruction, and at the same time, minimize socioeconomic disruption to the vendors.” Akwenye added that further details and timelines will be communicated directly to the affected vendors once all preparations are finalised. #NBCNews #nbcdigitalnews #nbcDSTV282 #nbcGOtv20 #nbcPlusApp

NamPost has announced additional supplementary payout dates for children's cash grants, following a request from the beneficiaries. The supplementary payout dates run from Friday until Saturday. Nampost's Acting Executive for Marketing, Business Development, and Communication Gladwin Groenewaldt explained the extension was necessary as the initiative aims to provide timely financial assistance to families, enabling them to address the nation's children's needs ahead of the 2026 school year. Groenewaldt emphasised that the supplementary payment period is meant exclusively for child cash grant beneficiaries and will be done across the country at all Nampost offices. However, the normal in-branch social cash grant payment schedule that was previously communicated will continue. Beneficiaries have been urged to adhere to the schedule, as assistance will not be provided outside the specifically set dates. The payout dates for Nampost Smart Card holders are 6 to 8 January, while Old Age and Disability Grants will be paid out between 12 and 14 January. Child Cash Grants are to be paid out between 15 and 17 January, and the Basic Income Cash Grants from 19 to 20 January. #NBCNews #nbcdigitalnews #nbcDSTV282 #nbcGOtv20 #nbcPlusApp

The Pan African Women's Organisation has affirmed its unwavering solidarity with the people of Venezuela, particularly its women and children, who too often bear the heaviest burden of aggression and conflict. President of the Pan African Women's Organisation, Eunice Iipinge, denounced the bullying and coercive conduct of nations that threaten established norms and standards that safeguard international peace and security. “We have been in good relations with women in Venezuela because Pan-Africa Women's Organisation is a threat to women in the National Democratic Federation. That organisation was formed after the World War. So we have close relations with Venezuela women, and therefore their pain is our pain. We feel we express our solidarity with the people of Venezuela, the women and children during this situation.” She stressed that where weapons prevail, there can be no lasting peace regardless of the unquenchable thirst for a unipolar world order. Iipinge believes the latest aggression is akin to the colonialism endured centuries ago and called on the international community to hold aggressors accountable to international governance instruments, commitments, and practices. “They power the imperialist forces who are seeking power to oppress the developing nations because they have been benefiting from the resources of those countries through colonialism and through other means, these multinational companies and all that. So now that the countries are developing, they are controlling their resources; it's a threat to them, and that's why they are acting bullying and threatening people, even to the extent of violating international instruments of governing.” She said ultimately, dialogue and diplomacy must prevail in resolving disputes through multilateral forums and regional mechanisms as the world awaits the outcomes of deliberations regarding this conflict. #NBCNews #nbcdigitalnews #nbcDSTV282 #nbcGOtv20 #nbcPlusApp

Windhoek vendors concerned about upcoming road construction NBC Online Thu, 01/08/2026 - 20:36

NamPost Announces Extra Payout Dates for Children’s Cash Grants NBC Online Thu, 01/08/2026 - 20:29

Staff Reporter THE Acting Regional Commander of the police in Oshana, Deputy Commissioner Frederick Ndjadila, has revealed that the “missing” private parts of late Salom Nikanor were burnt to ashes. The 41-year-old Nikanor’s body was found floating in water near the Oluno Correctional Service facility on Sunday, in what was initially considered to be a case of drowning. However, police investigators quickly suspected foul play when they noticed blood stains on the deceased person’s trousers. This, in turn, led to the discovery that his testicles were cut off and were missing. Ndjadila, who briefed the media at Oshakati on Thursday, said that police investigators eventually discovered that the missing testicles were destroyed by fire. Andreas Kanyanga, a 25-year-old NDF member, has been arrested in connection with the crime and has already appeared in court at Ondangwa. He was remanded in custody, and the case was postponed to 18 June. PICTURED: Deputy Commissioner Frederick Ndjadila. Photo:Contributed The post Murder victim’s private parts were cut off and burnt, says Oshana’s top detective appeared first on Informanté.

Pan-African Women’s Organisation Shows Solidarity with Venezuela NBC Online Thu, 01/08/2026 - 20:22

The Incident Manager for polio response in the Kavango region, Dr. Nguundja Uamburu, has expressed satisfaction with the turnout of the polio vaccination campaign there. In December last year, the Ministry of Health and Social Services embarked on a vaccination campaign after the type 2 poliovirus was detected from a sample that was collected from the Ndama Sewerage pond in Rundu. Dr. Uamburu stated that they are pleased with how the communities responded, adding that the final figures are still being verified through official reporting channels. “The numbers are in, but we still have to go through our principals before we can officially release them. What I can say for now is that we managed to reach more than 90% of the children we targeted, which is very encouraging.” Phase two of the vaccination campaign will be nationwide and will take place from January to February. Communities are encouraged to take part. “My message to the parents and guardians is simple. Please take this opportunity. Polio has no cure, and when a child becomes infected, the consequences can be lifelong and devastating, including permanent paralysis. The safest and most effective way to protect your child is through vaccination. It's free, it's safe, and it works. Let us continue working together, parents, communities, health workers, and leaders, to protect the future of our children. When every child is vaccinated, we protect not only our own families but the entire country,” Dr. Uamburu added. #NBCNews #nbcdigitalnews #nbcDSTV282 #nbcGOtv20 #nbcPlusApp

The Head of the Oshana Police Crime Investigation, Fredrik Ndjadila, has confirmed that the testicles of Salom Nikanor were indeed cut off and burnt. Nikanor's body was discovered on 4 January by a community member in shallow water at a pan east of the Oluno Correctional Facility in Ondangwa. Police investigation at the scene suggests foul play, following the discovery of vehicle tracks and footprints believed to be linked to an attempt to conceal evidence. A physical examination of the body revealed bloodstains on the 41-year-old deceased's trousers and the absence of his testicles. Further investigation confirmed that the scrotum had been cut open and the testicles removed. A 25-year-old Namibian male, Andreas Kanyanga, a member of the NDF, was arrested in connection with the incident. Deputy Commissioner Ndjadila, explained the case. “During the investigations, we learned that the suspect now has taken up an insurance—a funeral plan for the deceased, who is not related to him. But they are from the same community; they are buddies, and they grew up together. The motive can lead to financial issues and alcohol consumption. The testicles were burnt at the suspect’s house; that is, according to investigations, they were burned together with the razor used to cut the scrotum.” Kanyanga appeared before the Ondangwa Magistrate's Court on Wednesday. He was denied bail, and the case was postponed to 18 June for further investigations. #NBCNews #nbcdigitalnews #nbcDSTV282 #nbcGOtv20 #nbcPlusApp

Kavango polio campaign sees strong turnout, says Dr. Nguundja Uamburu NBC Online Thu, 01/08/2026 - 20:14

Oshana police confirm brutal mutilation of Salom Nikanor NBC Online Thu, 01/08/2026 - 20:08

Minister Theofelus praises progress at Etunda Green Scheme NBC Online Thu, 01/08/2026 - 19:59

MEIYSAC warns schools against unauthorised fees NBC Online Thu, 01/08/2026 - 19:44

Information and Communication Technology Minister Emma Theofelus has expressed satisfaction with the work being done at the Etunda Green Scheme Irrigation Project in the Omusati Region.   During a familiarisation visit to the project on Wednesday, Theofelus commended management and staff for their commitment in contributing to national food security and job creation.   The Etunda Green Scheme is currently in the midst of its mango harvesting season, which commenced in November last year and is anticipated to conclude in February.   The project anticipates harvesting about 70 tons of fresh mangoes this year for the local market.   The mango orchard consists of approximately 7,000 trees of different varieties.   Etunda Green Scheme Manager Sacky Shilyomunhu says mango production has the potential to generate revenue provided the trees are well maintained.   “As of now these mangoes are going as fresh fruit to local people; they come here and buy at our shop, or we deliver trucks to Oshakati, Oshikuku, and Tsandi open markets. Those are the three main towns that we deliver to because of the demand; anyone is welcome here to come and buy.”    Meanwhile, the project is also planting maize this year on a 450-hectare piece of land for commercial production, 250 hectares for small-scale farmers, and 45 hectares for medium-scale farmers.   About 270 hectares of maize are planted on commercial farms and 80 hectares for small-scale farmers.   They are also busy delivering wheat harvested in November last year to the millers.   Theofelus, who was on a familiarisation tour is happy with the progress at the project.   “We learned valuable information how the scheme is growing a variety of plants, fruits, and vegetables. The farmers are growing grapes, maize, mangoes and they even now introduced Bananas on a trial bases. This is all very valuable and it is encouraging because on a yearly basis in terms of casual workers they can hire up to 450 Namibians. That is valuable and this is why we came to look at the scheme to see the work they are doing and to better understand their needs in terms of support, so that us together with our ministry of agriculture work together to inform the community the valuable work the scheme is doing, the addition its making to development and how they need to support the activities happening on the scheme,” Theofelus added. #NBCNews #nbcdigitalnews #nbcDSTV282 #nbcGOtv20 #nbcPlusApp