Posts tagged Namibia

Today Africans across the continent celebrate Mother’s Day. With musical contributions from Zimbabwe, South Africa, Burundi, Ghana and Tanzania, join us in our celebration of mothers. Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms in the world, and we thank you for all the sacrifices, and love.

Today Africans across the continent celebrate Mother’s Day. Google used its doodle to pay tribute to mothers. The animated doodle shows the story of a cactus mom through various stages of motherhood. The doodle honours mothers across the world and celebrates the sacrifices mothers make for their children. Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms in the world, and we thank you for all the sacrifices, and love.

Today is Namibia’s Independence Day. The country attained its freedom in 1990. We honour all those who sacrificed their lives during the struggle against South African foreign rule and German colonialism, and remember all those who died in the liberation war. Happy Independence Day to our Namibian brothers and sisters.

The Herero and Nama ethnic groups are in a New York court in a lawsuit filed against Germany for the atrocities committed, including the genocide of over 100,000 Ovaherero. So far the German government has been mute on the proceedings and is yet to send a lawyer. The Ovaherero Paramount Chief, Advocate Rukoro recently declared that “reparations are due and [should be] payable to us as a People COLLECTIVELY”.

A Namibian Grade 12 learner Simon Petrus who recently made headlines after he invented a sim-free mobile phone, which makes free calls using radio frequencies has been offered a tertiary education scholarship for a technology degree of his choice by the country’s telecoms operator MTC.

A Namibian Grade 12 learner Simon Petrus is making waves after he invented a mobile phone, with no sim-card, which uses radio signals and doesn’t require airtime to make calls.

The Namibian government is set to relax its visa policy with plans to introduce visa-on-arrival for African citizens, in preparation of ultimately scrapping off visa requirements the President Hage Geingob announced. Namibia recently scrapped off visa requirements for diplomatic and official passport holders, as the country begins implementing exemptions, which encourage the free movement of African citizens.

Namibia last week scrapped off visa requirements for diplomatic and official passport holders, a development which was erroneously reported in the media and shared widely on social media. Namibia’s visa exemptions do not apply to all Africans as previously reported, but the interest the issue has raised is a bold reminder for African countries to timeously and expediently open their borders to ease trade and the free movement of citizens.

Today Namibia commemorates Cassinga Day, a sad chapter in the country’s fight for liberation from the ills of the apartheid regime. On 4 May 1978, more than 600 people were massacred by apartheid South African soldiers in southern Angola at Cassinga camp. We pay tribute to those who lost their lives during the massacre, and remember the sacrifices made. We look at other cross-border raids, where refugees and liberation fighters were massacred.

Today is World Press Freedom Day, to raise awareness on the importance of freedom of the press. This year, the day is celebrated under the theme: Access to Information and Fundamental Freedoms – This Is Your Right! As we remember and honour journalists who continue to courageously fight for justice and the right to information, we take stock of press freedom across Africa, looking at how different countries have fared in promoting media freedom. We ask, is press freedom improving in your country?