Namibian Sun

Itula taka ungaungiwa naye koSwapoItula a pulwa athige po oSwapo Amushanga gwoSwapo Sophia Shaningwa okwa popi kutya ongundu oyi na okomitye yomitumba dhomautho yi li miilonga, naNamibia otaka tegelela nokutala sho tayi ka ungaunga nOmundohotola Panduleni Itula.

JEMIMA BEUKES

Aanongononi yopolitika yamwe po oya popi kutya itashi kwatha sha shOmundohotola Itula a hala okukutha ombinga momahogololo guupresidende onga omuhogololwa iithikamena ihe ina hala okuhulitha po uukwashilyo we nongundu yoSwapo.

Omunongononi gwekotampango, Nico Horn okwa popi kutya itashi gandja omwiityo gwasha.

“Itandi hala okwiitaala kutya omulumentu omunandunge ota vulu okudhilaadhila ngaaka.”

Horn okwa popi kutya kape na ongundu yiisimaneka tayi ka pitika ethigathano okuza kaahogololwa yiithikamena meni lyongundu.

Okwa popi kutya oshi li owala mondjila iilyo yi ninge ethigathano pethimbo lyomitumba dhokuhogolola aaleli yongundu.

“Otashi kala owala mondjila ngele oshilyo shongundu tashi kondjitha elelo lyongundu okupitila momilandu dhongundu. Ngele okwiithikamena na okwa hala aantu ye mu taleko shili, nena nakale owala iithikamena.”

Itula ngoka a tindi okupopya manga niikundaneki, okwa li a popi nale noshifokundaneki shoThe Namibian, moka a popi kutya kape na oshilyo shoSwapo, shi na uuthemba kwiikwatelelwa kekotampango lyoSwapo, tashi vulu okuthiminika mukwawo a ze mo mongundu molwaashoka ehangano lyokwiiyamba moka aantu taya vulu okuza yoyene shaaheli pamathiminiko.”

Sho oshifokundaneki shoNamibian Sun sha ningi ekwatathano naye, okwa popi kutya kashi na oshilonga kwaashoka Swapo ta popi, ye ita ti sha.

MuMaalitsa gwonuumvo, ongundu yoSwapo oya popi kutya kehe oshilyo shongundu shoka tashi kutha ombinga momahogololo onga omuhogololwa iithikamena, otashi yi pondje ekotampango lyongundu nomilandu dhongundu.

Oshiwike shika amushanga gwoSwapo, okwa popi kutya okomitiye yomautho moSwapo otayi ka ungaunga naItula.

Henning Melber okwa popi kutya Itula pamwe naalanduli ye kombinga yuundemokoli otashi ulike kutya uundemokoli kawu uviteweko kutya oshike.

Melber okwa tsu omuthindo kutya omuntu ota kala oshilyo shongundu nokutsa kumwe nomilandu dhongundu ihe ngele itasu kumwe nena okwa pumbwa okuthigapo ongundu.

“Ito vulu okpopya kutya owiithikamena omanga wu li oshilyo shongundu. Kashi li mondjila. Sho wuli methigathano naahogololwa mboka yuulikwa kongundu na otaya kalelepo ongundu, oshike tashi holoka po ngele owa sindana?” Melber a popi.

Omukwatakanithi gwoSwapo Party School, Charles Mubita okwa zimine kutya ope na okwaahauvako kombinga yoshikumungu shomuhogololwa iithikamena.

Okwa popi kutya kashi li mondjila omuntu a kale iithikamena mehangano lyontumba.

“Tala ngame kandi li ompinge nomuntu iithikamena muuyuni, ihe kashi li mondjila omuntu a kale iithikamena mongundu yontumba, itashi gandja omwiityo gwa sha.”

Okwa tsu omuthindo kutya okukala omwiithikameni otashi ti ina gama ombinga nongundu nenge nehangano lyontumba.

“Ngaaka otashi ti ito tsukumwe nenge ito popile omilandu dhontumba mongundu. Oopresenda 90 nenge 100 ito tsu kumwe nayo na owa pumbwa ondjila ompe yokugandja omaiyuvo goye.”

Pampango yOmahogololo yomomvula yo 2014, omuhogololwa iithikamena okwa pumbwa okuyambidhidhwa kaahogololi ye li po 500 miitopolwa 14 moshilongo.

Omeya ogeli apehe ihe aantu otaya si enota

ILENI NANDJATO

Nonando oshitopolwa shaHangwena oshi na oonzo nomithima dhomeya gomevi taku tengenekwa kutya otadhi vulu okugandja oocubic metre dhomeya dha thika poobiliyona 20, aakalimo yomiikandjohogololo ngaashi Omundaungilo, Oshikunde, Okongo oshowo Epembe otaya nu omeya inaga yogoka, omolwa ompumbwe yomeya miikandjohogololo yawo.

Omapulo ge li po oongoka kutya omolwashike ehangano lyoNamWater li wete kutya lya pumbwa okutunga endiki lyokuwapalekela nokupungula omeya mEenhana lyongundu yoomiliyona 5.65 omanga ongundu yaakonaakoni yoKalahari Ohangwena Aquifer (KOH) ya holola kutya ope na omeya ga yela momudhingoloko gwa Omhalapapa popepi noongamba dhaAngola, ngoka taga vulu okulongithwa pwaahena endiki ndyoka tali tungwa.

NamWater okwa longitha nale oshimaliwa shoomiliyona mokumboola oombola ndatu mEenhana ihe okwa hololwa kutya oomboola ndhoka odhi na omeya ge na oshimongwa.

Omeya ngoka ngashiingeyi ohaga tulwa mumwe nomeya gomominino omanga inaga longithwa.

Omanga oongundu dhaanongononi yoKOH ya lopota kutya ohayi gandja omeya kaakwashigwana yomomudhingoloko gwa Omundaungilo nopomidhingoloko dhopuushinda nomeya ngoka taya kutha mo Omhalapapa, ndjoka yi li oshinano shookilometa 40 mUuzilo wEenhana.

Okuza omvula yo 2007, Federal Institute for Geoscience and Natural Resources (BGR), oshowo oshikondo shiikumungu yomeya muuministeli wuunamapya oshowo ehangano lyoNamWater oya kala taya ningile omalolelo oKalahari Ohangwena Aquifer, ndjoka yi na omeya omawanawa ihe oge na oshimongwa.

Oonzo dhoka odha monika momvula yo 2006, na odhi li oshitopolwa shoCuvelai-Etosha Basin. Momaandaha goshiwike shika ongundu ndjoka yaanongononi oya ningi oshituthi shepato lyomakonaakono.

Pethimbo lyoshituthi, menindjela gwopoloteka ndjoka, Martin Quinger okwa popi kutya omalolelo nomapekaapeko oga manithwa nomeya otaga vulu okulongithwa.

Okwa popi kutya oye na omikalo dhopaali ndhoka tadhi vulu okulongitha meyandjakaneko lyomeya ngoka mokati koshigwana, shotango okuyandjakaneka omeya okuza koomboola mOmhalapapa popepi nOmundaungilo. Ehala ndyoka aniwa oli li popepi naAngola nomeya momudhingoloko ngoka omawanawa noopresenda 100.

Omukalo omutiyali okutula po omunino mopoloyeka yomeya mEenhana moka NamWater a longitha nale iimaliwa oyindji na ope na iikwaniipangitho nale yoku gandja omeya koshigwana.

“Oshinima oshiwanawa kombinga yomeya gomOmhalapapa omeya ngoka omawanawa ihe mEenhana omeya oge na oshimongwa na otaga vulu okugandja uupyakadhi kaantu uuna ga longithwa ethimbo ele.”

Quinger okwa popi kutya monena ope na oombola mbali mOmhalapapa ndjoka tadhi gandja omeya okuukilila kaakwashigwana.

KOH-1 oya tulwa po momvula yo 2009 na otayi gandja omeya kaakwashigwana yomOmhalapapa nomikunda dhopuushinda omanga KOH-2 tayi kondolola omboola na oya tulwa po momvula yo 2012, nokugandja omeya mOmundaungilo.

Omboola ndjoka ya tulwa pOmundaungilo kayi na oshilonga molwaashoka omeya gawo oge na oshimongwa unene.

Pahapu dhomukomeho gwehangano lyoNamWater na okwa li nale omukomeho muuministeli wuunamapya, Abraham Nehemia, okwa popi kutya NamWater okwiipyakidhila nokutula miilonga ompangela ndjoka tayi ka totha mo kutya omeya gomEenhana otaga ka longithwa ngiini omanga etungo lyendiki lyokuwapaleka omeya nokupungula omeya mEenhana lya tameke okutungwa.

Nehemia okwa popi kutya endiki ndyoka otali ka kala nokukutha mo oshimongwa shimwe momeya omanga inaga pewa oshigwana.

“Otatu vulu okugandja omeya koshigwana okuzilila moonzo dhomevi mehala ndyoka molwaashoka oguudha oshimongwa. Ngashiingeyi omeya ngoka otatu ga tula mumwe nomeya gokopomba ngoka haga zilile kendiki lyaShakati, okupitila momunino ngoka gwa ya kEenhana gweendela mOshakati-Omakango-Omafo,” Nehemia a popi.

Endiki ndyoka kwwa tegelelwa li manithwe muSepetemba gwonuumvo otali tungwa noshimaliwa sha thika poomiliyona 5.65 sha gandjwa kuGermany okupitila mo BGR.

Ngoloneya gwaHangwena, Usko Nghaamwa okwa popi kutya omikalo adhihe dhokugandja omeya koshigwana moshitopolwa odha pumbwa okutulwa po meendelelo molwaashoka oshigwana otashi si enota.

Omupeha minista guunamapya, Anna Shiweda, okwa popi kutya AaNamibia oya pumbwa okuvaako kutya oshilongo osha pumbwa okuninga omapekaapeko gokukonga omeya palwe molwaashoka oonzo dhoka dhi li moHangwena itadhi vulu okukandula po ompumbwe yomeya moshilongo ashihe.

Bail granted in dagga case

The Ohangwena Magistrate's Court has granted bail to two men arrested in connection with a truckload of dagga worth more than N$1 million.

Magistrate Letta Simon granted bail of N$60 000 each to northern businessmen Paavo Hatutale (47) and his co-accused, Nicodemus Shekunyenge (21).

The two men have been in jail since their arrest in February on charges of drug possession and dealing in drugs.

At the beginning of their court case, the two were represented by Maruschka January. However, during their bail hearing they informed the court they were now being represented by Jan Greyling and Associates.

The two will return to court on 19 July.

The men were allegedly in possession of 41 bags of dagga hidden under a truckload of poles. The court was informed that the drugs weighed more than 100 kg and had a street value of N$1 094 000.

The police reported that the truck had been contracted to transport poles for a building material shop in the north.

Hatutale, who owns Hatutale Transport, was arrested at Onhuno in the Ohangwena Region, allegedly while driving the truck carrying the drugs.

Shekunyenge was arrested the following day after it was established they had driven together.

Hatutale and Shekunyenge reportedly drove from South Africa through Botswana and entered Namibia using the Rundu-Nkurenkuru route.

ILENI NANDJATO

Air Nam denies operational hiccupsKeeps on flying The airline says its current challenges are normal practice.

Air Namibia says current operational challenges are all due to the economic slowdown experienced by all government institutions, but insists that it is business as usual.

The airline does not deny that it has failed to pay over the pension fund contributions of 700 employees to its pension fund administrator, Alexander Forbes, over the last two months. The outstanding payments amount to between N$3 million and N$4 million.

It also has not denied information received from insiders that it has ceased paying subsistence and travel (S&T) allowances to its pilots.

“These are difficult and challenging times, not only for Air Namibia but the whole country. Government is also having challenges, including pressure from the drought we are experiencing,” was all that Air Namibia's manager of corporate communications, Paul Nakawa, would say when asked.

He added: “Like any other organisation we do once in a while delay payments to some of our suppliers due to timing differences between when we get cash from our customers and when we are expected to pay our suppliers. In the end we do pay, even if payments are made late.”

Trouble with planes

Insiders claim that the airline is also struggling to keep its planes in the air. They claim that only five of the ten planes in Air Namibia's fleet are currently operational while the rest are grounded because of technical issues.

Nakawa said seven of the ten aircraft were currently “serviceable”.

He said two A319's and one Embraer ERJ 135 were undergoing scheduled heavy maintenance checks. Nakawa said one A319 underwent a C-check in Cyprus and has been out of service.

A C-check is performed every 20 to 24 months, or after a specific number of flight hours as defined by the manufacturer. This is a maintenance check more extensive than a B-check, requiring a large majority of the aircraft's components to be inspected.

The delay in the repairs, Nakawa said, was due to the availability of unique parts which have a long delivery time.

He added that the work on the A319 was now complete and that the aircraft was expected to be returned as soon as it was signed off.

Nakawa said another A319 underwent a check in Johannesburg. There was a delay because a replacement part had to be sourced.

“In between we had one or two more aircraft grounded for short periods of time (one to three days) when we experienced component failures. These are attended to and the aircraft enter service as soon as the faults get fixed. This is a continuous and normal practice,” Nakawa said.

He denied that one A319, considered to be a “no-flight item” because of technical faults, remained in operation.

“We operate in accordance with regulations and the safety of our passengers, employees and the general public and as such we cannot be compromised under any circumstances. The information received from your source is untrue and malicious,” Nakawa said.

Nakawa also denied the claim by insiders that the Embraer currently in the hangar was being used for spare parts. Air Namibia rents its Embraer aircraft, and is not the owner of these planes.

The insiders further claimed that only one A330 is currently being used to operate the Windhoek-Frankfurt route because the window of the other A330 is damaged.

Nakawa acknowledged the damaged window. He said a new window was sourced from Europe and had to be installed in Johannesburg, but this plane was still serviceable and was due to resume normal operation on Monday, 27 May.

The insiders further claimed that Engen, Air Namibia's fuel supplier, refused to refuel its aircraft at Hosea Kutako International Airport (HKIA) on 23 May because of non-payment.

“Air Namibia operations are not disrupted. We have a good business relationship with Engen; they value us as an important client of theirs, and between us and them it is business as usual,” Nakawa said.

CATHERINE SASMAN

Menstruation is normal - governor

One in ten menstruating girls in Namibia skip school every month or drop out completely because of a lack of sanitary products.

This was said by Khomas governor Laura McLeod-Katjirua during the commemoration of Menstrual Hygiene Day in Windhoek on Tuesday.

The annual awareness day is observed on 28 May to highlight the importance of good menstrual hygiene management.

McLeod-Katjirua said if girls do not have access to sanitary products when they menstruate, they are forced to make use of unsanitary and ineffective materials which cause infection and discomfort.

“A learner who is not clean and cannot make use of improved sanitation facilities will not easily integrate with their peers,” the governor said.

She added that girls who have good knowledge of menstrual health and hygiene and access to sanitary pads are also less vulnerable to low academic performance, dropping out of school, HIV, sexually transmitted diseases, stigma and teenage pregnancy.

McLeod-Katjirua further noted that menstruation is normal and girls should not see it as a secretive and unclean process.

The day was commemorated under the theme 'It's time for action.'

NAMPA

Catering for kidsCustom-made is the name of the game It's all about making things easy and convenient for first-time mothers. Baby and Kids Emporium is excited to announce that its new store officially opens on 1 June at the Maerua Lifestyle Centre.

tjil spoke to Janine Blom and Isabelle van der Walt, the owners and founders of the unique baby, kids and nursery lifestyle brand, about the concept and store opening.

“I started the first baby and kids' emporium approximately four year ago. It started off with being a basic kids store and systematically I maximised my offering. From maternity clothing, nursery designs and décor as well as custom-made bed and cots,” says Blom.

“I am a proud mother of three wonderful kids aged nine, six and three.

“I moved to Namibia in 2013 with my husband and started a part-time hobby doing woodwork, which is something I have been passionate about. Initially I only designed and built things for our own home and kids' bedrooms, thereafter, requests from people started flooding in and all of a sudden it turned into a small business specialising in kids and custom furniture,” adds Van der Walt.

Blom and Van der Walt met in 2016 when Blom's products were sold in her store.

“We started working on a regular bases where we would custom-make nursery rooms. We decided to partner up and open a one-of-a-kind boutique shop where my woodwork would be exclusive to our store,” said Blom.

The custom-made wood furniture is handmade by Blom and Van der Walt.

Van der Walt says her motto and passion is and has always been to supply customers with one-of-a-kind products they could not get anywhere else in Namibia.

“My vision is not only a conventional kids' store. We want to go the extra mile by becoming friends with our clients - from the day the client finds out they are pregnant, until the baby is born,” Blom said.

The two pride themselves on offering guidance and support throughout the entire pregnancy. Both are parents and make use of their first-hand experiences to make it easy and convenient for first-time mothers.

“We hope we can make the life of future moms and current moms as easy and as pleasant as possible,” Van der Walt says.

The official opening of the Baby and Kids Emporium starts at 09:00. One lucky buyer will win a N$25 000 nursery makeover, when a lucky draw is conducted at the opening. Terms and conditions apply.

For more information contact Janine at 081 316 9411 or Isabelle at 081 898 7531.

LLOYD ZANDBERG

Fresh and poppingThe hottest new music It is pretty awesome that you can turn on the radio or visit your favourite site and discover an exciting new song every week.

In the past year, we have seen singles make an impact on the game more than fully-fledged albums. We put together a list of some of the trending songs and music videos for your listening pleasures.

You - King Tee Dee

The king is back! Uploaded on last Friday on YouTube, King Tee Dee's latest single You is one of the latest songs out with stunning visuals. King Tee Dee teamed up with Reggie Films for the game-changing video shot in Windhoek. It is a dance and festival-themed music video, which is beautifully adorned with Mshasho wear throughout. Music video director Undjee Reggie Zaire said he loved the creative control he was granted while working on the video. “King Tee Dee just wanted a dance video. We have not done a music video like this before, where staged acting ends up as a music video. This is a phenomenon that is popular in South America and I am glad we executed it well,” said Zaire.

Switch It Up - Lioness, Boity and Nazizi

Although not necessarily new, Switch It Up deserves an honorary mention because we are proud of how rapper Lioness is flying the Namibian flag high on this Coke Studio single. Switch It Up is Coke Studio's first-ever all-female song featuring Lioness, South Africa's Boity and Kenya's Nazizi. The rappers go bar for bar and our girl held her own on the song's opening verse. It is impressive how Lioness keeps disciplining these beats and on Switch It Up she once again took it to the top. The video is available on YouTube.

Ghost Rider - Vikta Juiceboy

Lifted from his debut album Bless Up, Ghost Rider is another single that is going to keep Vikta Juiceboy part of the music conversations for a long time. Shot in church, Vikta Juiceboy mentioned that it was the ideal venue for the video because he believes it signifies the true definition of really being delivered. “Being outside and inside the church is the same thing; I mean God is still watching,” he said.

Hou Op Lieg - Lize Ehlers

Describing this video, the singer shared that this documentary-style video aims to showcase a very unapologetic and passionate Lize Ehlers on various stages performing.

“This is my second trap song off my album “5” and I really wanted to inject some tongue-in-cheek satire to bring an Afrikaans trap song to audiences, which they can sing along to and maybe even use at the right moment in conversations,” she said.

Slave To The Rhythm - Timo Kevin

Producer and new DBS signee Timo Kevin recently released his single Slave To The Rhythm, featuring label-mates Waters and Lavinian. The production is pristine and the vocals complement the instruments well. This song has the potential to spend weeks on the charts and do big numbers online, if promoted well.

Side Effects - Kwxame Sankxrra

Giving his fans a taste of what to expect from his forthcoming project MDITO II, musician Kwxame Sankxrra recently put out a four-minute freestyle exploring various societal ills that juveniles battle with. We can't wait for the project.

No Longer a Slave - Nam Gospel United

Comprising of various household names in the gospel fraternity, Nam Gospel United is a music group that is doing incredible things on the gospel front.

The video was premiered in Windhoek about three weeks ago and before going to print it had 54 867 views on YouTube.

MICHAEL KAYUNDE

Sharing his expertiseKBG in Namibia for a show and music workshop Malawian artist Kelvin Gumbi, popularly known as KBG, facilitated a music workshop at Werah Café in Rundu yesterday and will perform at the Night Around The Fire concert tomorrow.

Home of the Arts (Hota), in partnership with 1Five hosted a workshop on the use of modern technology to make music, featuring Malawian artist Kelvin Gumbi. We caught up with the Malawian artist and this is what he had to share.

tjil (t): Firstly, welcome to Namibia. How is KBG doing and how excited are you to be here?

KBG (K): I am doing fine, really, and I was excited and nervous because I did not know what to expect. Otherwise I am happy to be meeting new people and I am having fun with the creatives from Rundu.

t: For those who do not know who KBG is, please share who you are and what you do?

K: I am an artist, a producer, an advocate, a fashion enthusiast and an entrepreneur.

t: You facilitated a workshop on the use of modern technology to make music, what did you share with attendees at this workshop?

K: They learned how to use the modern-day technology to advance their art and how they can utilise digital platforms to push their creativity globally. It was exciting because I also demonstrated how I create my music.

t: What are you hoping attendees left with after the workshop?

K: Knowledge and most definitely tools to equip them for their creative sessions.

t: You are an all-round creative. What opportunities do you wish to explore in Namibia as far as being a creative is concerned?

K: I am not sure yet, but am excited because content creation is about capturing authenticity, and I am a fan of spontaneous activity, so whatever comes I am with it.

t: Lastly, is there anything you would love to share with our readers/your fans that we may have omitted in our questions above?

K: Please come and network. If you missed the workshop, I will still be at The Night Around The Fire concert tomorrow. Follow me on Instagram @kbg_nyalimuzik to stay updated.

MICHAEL KAYUNDE

Xuro presents: One Night with OC EBS

Comedian Xuro Milton, popularly known as just Xuro, is gearing up for his one-woman show that is scheduled for Saturday, 8 June at the Warehouse Theatre.

The show will take a look at the life of a bubbly domestic worker, OC EBS.

tjil caught up with Xuro to find out more. Asked why he decided on the character OC EBS, Xuro said: “Growing up as a child I was surrounded by crazy aunts who were entertaining and full of life. There was always entertainment at home and writing about OC EBS always brings back childhood memories.”

About message he wants to convey through OC EBS, Xuro mentioned that he would like to express a message of hope, even though many might be going through life and its difficulties.

“It sometimes helps when one does it with a smile on our face and that's what she does; she puts a smile on all of our faces,” said Xuro.

Xuro revealed that he was inspired by the people who love the OC EBS character to start this show. “After seeing many of her news anchor clips online people wanted to see more of her and asked for a live show.”

Asked where he thinks this comedy brand will end up, Xuro said he does not know where he and OC EBS will end up in the comedy arena, “but all we know is that for now, just for now, we are in the building”.

Asked if he believes there is a market for this kind of comedy, Xuro said he thinks there is a space for everyone in the market. “You just have to market and package your content in an appealing way,” Xuro added.

MICHAEL KAYUNDE

Mbalangandja diversifies his soundSequel to Odhino Vol.1 almost ready On the back end of releasing his second album Odhino Vol.1 in 2018 and working on visuals to complement the project, Mbalangandja has been a busy man.

Predominantly an Afropop artist, Mbalangandja maintains that he is quite content with the reception to his latest body of work.

He announced that his next offering Odhino Vol.2 will entail various genres.

“I am greatly inspired by Gazza, and he does not just do kwaito, he taps into different genres as well.

That is what my next music project is going to be about; experimenting with different sounds.

“I describe myself as an Afropop artist who also does Afrobeat and traditional Oshiwambo music.

I believe it helps to be versatile and I will strongly push that agenda on my next album,” said Mbalangandja.

He shared he has clearly identified his musical identity with a defined sound and style within the vernacular space.

“I believe I have found my niche and I want to expose my fan base to other genres that I am capable of doing.

I want them to know I am versatile.” Mbalangandja said the album is slated for release in September.

He announced he is working on shooting a couple of music videos for his current project before he diverts his entire attention to Odhino Vol.2.

“My current album speaks about socials ills in society; I am educating my fans to not judge a book by its cover.

With such a strong message, I do not want to rush it, I want people to fully grasp the message before I move on to the next project.

“I just dropped a music video called Blessings; it was shot by Weezy Visuals.

This is not the last video from Odhino Vol.1 I will put out two more videos before this ship is sailed,” he shared.

For his forthcoming album, Mbalangandja maintains that he wants to use the project as a channel to remind people that having moral values is a cool thing.

He added he wants to ignite his fans to be critical of developments that happen in their communities.

“There are so many bad things that have been normalised these days; with Odhino Vol.2 I do not intend to serve my fans with just dance music, I want people to think critically of things,” he said.

MICHAEL KAYUNDE

Kino Namibia gets N$148 000 boost

FirstRand Namibia Foundation Trust wants to help ensure that film, as part of the creative industries, contributes to the national economy and creates opportunities for professional employment development, thus its investment of N$148 000 in the Kino Namibia Film Festival.

Speaking at the 2019 festival launch, trustee of the foundation, Jane Katjavivi, said the festival provides an opportunity for aspiring filmmakers to develop their talents and offers the Namibian public the opportunity to experience new cinematic creations.

“This festival aims to promote diversity in the field of arts and culture, and provide opportunities for newcomers to develop their skills. This festival does not only offer opportunities, but also enables individuals to build partnerships between filmmakers, while creating a space for ideas and stories to develop,” said Katjavivi.

Namibian Film Commission (NFC) executive secretary Florence Haifene added that Kino Namibia is an annual project of the NFC, and is aimed at helping and developing challenged youth, while helping them to express their feelings through film.

“The youth have a chance to expose their local creativeness and bring the Namibian story to the public, by telling authentic African stories,” Haifene explained.

The festival will be a three-day event and is expected to kick off on 24 August at the Goethe Institute. The registration process will take place from 1 July, where interested parties can buy tickets at Cramer's Ice Cream in the Windhoek CBD. The festival encourages all stakeholders to support this process, and help strengthen the film industry.

STAFF REPORTER

Song Night enthralsInspirational performances Performers delivered in bucket-loads at the Song Night extravaganza this week.

The inspiring Song Night Band on Wednesday accompanied an array of new and experienced singers at the Warehouse Theatre, who took the stage as part of the May Identity Show.

Singers who performed included Calin, a 16-year-old vocalist who says singing is her motivation and gives her hope in life.

Another 16-year-old who took to the stage, not only to perform her original music but also to launch her debut album titled FIN, was Alvarita Benedito Lucungo, better known as Alvara.

Alvara first performed at Song Night last year, not allowing her severe glaucoma to put obstacles in her way, and has since been inspired to put pen to paper as the mentee of Song Night director Lize Ehlers. FIN was recorded by producer and singer Ponti Dikuua, with Imms Nicolau on all the instrumentation.

Other performers included the vivacious and very talented Zikizee, a Namibian singer who is also part of The Collective, a local choir who recently raised funds in the south of Namibia through their music. Zikizee sang her original Kizomba hit Rituahepi, among other tracks.

Song Night also extended its new give-back portion, including already-active performers in various communities, and brought them for a fee to allow them to showcase what they are already doing in their respective spaces.

In the case of the March Proudly Namibian Song Night, the Heavenly Sounds Brass Band was celebrated, and now for the May Identity Show, Bradley Jonathan, who plays piano and sings at various churches in Khomasdal, was showcased. Singer Ori, who has performed as backing vocalist at the Windhoek Jazz Festival, and who also supported the Warehouse Theatre Crowdfunding Festival, was also among the singers in the line-up.

Vocalist Faithy Blue, who has a single out called Life or Death, performed, as well as local entertainment all-rounder JD Januarie, Herero Pop group Ethnix and new vocalists Chuma and Jedidjah.

It was a jam-packed show that showcased how singers identify with and find themselves in genres and different styles of music, not to mention how they get lost in the lyrics.

MC Adriano Visagie kept audiences entertained with his stage prowess and Song Night stylist Martina made sure the singers and all performers represented their true identities through well-styled fashion.

Song Night ambassador Treza Cooper supported all the singers from the audience this month, due to her endeavours to finalise new music and an upcoming video for her single You Said.

STAFF REPORTER

Ingredients to music success As an art and entertainment enthusiast, I think about those aspiring musicians, photographers and sketchers whose work is still not played and exhibited, and their skills untested; not because of a lack of opportunities, but because of self-doubt and lack of confidence.

Music game plans and tactics, like lyrics, scribbles, attire, beats and other portfolios, are idle since the mainstream glorifies materialism and swag as the main ingredients to musical success. Many unheard of musicians are staggering with their impressive yet unexposed material in backyard rooms and rural areas. I urge gatekeepers in the entertainment space to not write off these artists, but rather give them the platform do showcase what they have to offer. By doing this you are giving these artists the confidence and hope that the game needs that different style, flow, beats and one's originality without compromise.

Why write them off because we prefer trap music over Shambo, English over vernacular, skinny jeans over baggy jeans and vice versa? I say hone an edge of your own. Without embracing mediocrity and as long as value is added to this game, let every art and entertainment partisan give courage to those hidden treasures, because confidence, like success, needs more than encouragement.

Dazzle Skrywer, who hosts a popular countdown show on Energy 100 FM, recently complimented and made fun of me by saying he enjoys reading through the tjil interviews, even when it's about artists a lot of people have not heard of, because that gives them a platform and their well-earned 15 minutes; because hey, you have to be doing something right to get a mention. For future reference, that compliment has made me consider keeping interviews with responses shorter than the actual question or “no comment” in my scrap files, because that is just wasted space we could have given to emerging talents so they could voice themselves and actually get the scoop we are supposed to get from an interview. At the end of the day an interview is supposed to give insight and some of these established artists sound like they are doing somebody a favour.

However, I am not saying emerging talents are now going to get all the exposure, as tjil keeps a balance in terms of the coverage of both established and new artists. Speaking of balance, our cover star for this edition is Sunny Boy, who recently released his long-anticipated seventh studio album Uyelele. He shares the creative direction he took on the album, why it took so long for it to be released and his thoughts on the state of the music industry in Namibia.

Another piece you should look forward to in this edition is on Malawian all-round creative Kelvin Gumbi, who is in Namibia to facilitate a workshop on the use of modern technology to make music. This has been one of the most stressful editions I have had to work on because of the Ascension Day public holiday, and thus deadlines were affected and certain stories had to be kept for the following edition. Nevertheless, we managed to put the edition to bed. I hope you enjoyed your day off yesterday. Enjoy this edition and have a splendid weekend!

michael@namibiasun.com; @MichaelMKAY on Twitter

New developments at MTFNetworking portal introduces instant messaging feature The feature allows connected portal members to interact directly with each other.

The MultiChoice Talent Factory (MTF), the flagship shared-value initiative created by MultiChoice Africa, is excited to announce that the recently-launched MTF networking portal will now include a real-time messaging component that will enable connected members to network and interact directly with each other.

This portal improvement forms part of the initiative's commitment to ignite Africa's creative industries.

Launched in March, the portal is a pan-African, film and television digital marketplace for information about all aspects of this creative industry. The portal offers open, cost-free access to film creatives across Africa, to showcase their talent, access opportunities, stay up-to-date with industry news and expand their industry network.

To date, the portal has over 15 000 registered profiles.

The new messaging component will allow anyone with a registered profile to connect with any other creative within the portal's network in real-time. Cheryl Uys-Allie, MultiChoice Talent Factory director, says this added function makes the portal an even more valuable platform for film professionals and emerging creatives in the industry.

“Collaboration and knowledge-sharing is what our industry is built upon, and no one knows this better than MultiChoice, collaborating with hundreds of creatives daily to feed our content platforms.

“Now that the world is paying even more attention to African stories, it's important that we as African creatives have our own platform that understands and supports the complexities of making films and TV in Africa. I feel privileged to be part of these game-changing initiatives for the industry,” said Uys-Allie.

The portal is the third touch-point of the shared-value initiative, following the launch of the MTF Academy in three regions and the MTF Masterclasses. Launched in 2018, the MTF Academy is a 12-month film training programme aimed at up skilling up the next generation of passionate young film creatives. Following the successful start of its inaugural year, the MTF Academy is searching for 60 aspiring film and TV creatives from across the continent for the next year, to be part of the Class of 2019.

Emerging filmmakers are required to apply for entry at https://cte.multichoicetalentfactory.com/ before 14 June 2019 and follow the steps to enter.

The chosen creatives will be a part of the sought-after yearlong and fully-funded programme at three academy hubs located in Southern Africa (Lusaka, Zambia), East Africa (Nairobi, Kenya) and West Africa (Lagos, Nigeria), headed by industry leaders Berry Lwando, Njoki Muhoho and Femi Odugbemi, respectively.

The MTF Masterclasses, which were launched in January 2019, are the second touch-point of the shared-value initiative that will also feed into the MTF portal soon.

Are you signed-up to the MTF portal? Don't wait! Join over 15 000 creatives right now at www.multichoicetalentfactory.com, who are constantly informed about exciting new opportunities from the creative industry.

Staff Reporter

Uyelele finally hereSunny Boy out to dominate With his seventh studio album aptly titled Uyelele finally out, veteran Sunny Boy is gunning for a major piece of the pie.

Many people have been waiting for Sunny Boy's new album. In an interview with tjil he explained that it took long because the lead single Young, Wild and Free was received so well, he decided to let people consume it without it being compared to other songs on the album.

He knew the song was a hit but he did not anticipate the success of the track. He believes this is the right time for the album to be released because the demand for it sufficient.

“My team and I knew Young, Wild and Free is a great song but we did not expect it to be as big as it is, so we decided to postpone the album release to this year. An album has numerous songs, so we did not want this great single to clash with other great songs,” Sunny Boy said.

“The longer we gave it, the bigger it became. We just had to wait for a while and we feel now is the right time to release the complete project, because the demand for it grew; people were asking for it we just had to finally share it.”

On what the album is about, the Hikwa pioneer said Uyelele is a music project that speaks to both young people and the older generation. He wants people to enjoy the album and not be tense while listening to it. Sunny Boy describes Uyelele as a very good album for outings and believes it will help people make memories. However, he takes pride in being a lyricist and an intellectual, so he mentioned that the body of work is also packed with thought-provoking songs. “There is a song called Pressure on this album and it is a typical Sunny Boy song. I couldn't make an album without making songs that address pertinent issues,” he said.

Sunny Boy added that the album probes themes including love at first sight, lust, coping with difficult life situations and having fun.

“The album is a full package that caters for everybody - young and old - and I am very excited, and believe it will resonate well with many of my fans.”

As cliché as it may sound, the Young, Wild and Free hit-maker maintains that this is his best body of work. Differentiating it from his previous offerings, he said on this album you can sense his growth, maturity and confidence have no limits on this project. The process of making Uyelele has boosted his poise and eliminated the worries and anxieties of expressing himself musically. Like many artists, he admitted that he used to stop himself from saying certain things on songs for fear of being judged.

“I am telling it like it is, and expressing myself fully without having to censor myself - that is confidence. I feel more liberated and my state of mind is emancipated. I did what I wanted to do, with no limits, on Uyelele,” Sunny Boy said.

The singer maintains he wants people to be left with the impression that he is the greatest to ever do it in Namibia, despite anything and everybody. His goal is to convince music fans that he is a very talented, eloquent and an artist who cares about his craft. “I sing about my personal experiences, so in a way this is a conduit to let people into my life. After listening to this album you should feel like you had a conversation with Sunny Boy,” he said.

Sharing his thoughts on the state of the Namibian music landscape, he said he is happy it is picking up again, as he believes it was struggling a few years ago. He jokingly attributes the new excitement in the industry to himself for making Young, Wild and Free. “It has been a while since we had a hit in the country that people went crazy over like this. The last time we had a song this huge was the years of Balance, Koko and Baby Don't Go,” he said. He also mentioned that he is impressed with the many people attending music concerts. On the other hand he urged music fans to stop piracy and purchase original CDs or buy the music on digital platforms. For Sunny Boy, buying original music is the ultimate gesture that proves you care about his artistry. “We make a lot of sacrifices for these albums; late nights, we stay away from our families for long periods of time. It is really our blood sweat and tears, so when you just spread the music for free via WhatsApp or Bluetooth it hurts so much, it kills our spirit,” he said.

Uyelele is available at Antonio's Art and Sunny Boy will be having album release parties in different towns, starting with Rundu on Saturday, 1 June. “Antonio's Art has a distribution deal with Engen outlets across the country, so you can get my album at these outlets as well nationwide.

“We will announce the official album launch at a later stage and I promise the music video for Young Wild and Free is coming; it might not be the first video from the album, but it is coming,” Sunny Boy promised.

MICHAEL KAYUNDE

Diseases batter Namibians1.3 million needed 'interventions' The probability of a 30-year-old male dying from any of the four major non-communicable diseases in Namibia is higher than for women.

More than 1.3 million people required interventions against non-communicable diseases in Namibia in 2017.

Meanwhile, the probability of a 30-year-old dying from cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes and chronic respiratory ailments before reaching the age of 70 stands at 21.3%.

This is according to the latest global health statistics released by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

The global health statistics, published annually since 2005, is the WHO's annual snapshot of the state of the world's health.

According to the report the probability of a 30-year-old male dying from any of the four major non-communicable diseases in Namibia is higher than for women. Men have a 24.7% probability of dying from one of the diseases and women an 18.7% chance.

According to the report a total of 1.103 million people in Namibia required interventions against non-communicable diseases in 2017.

The report says that non-communicable diseases collectively caused 41 million deaths worldwide in 2016, equivalent to 71% of all global deaths. Globally in 2016, the risk of a 30-year-old person dying from any of the four major non-combinable diseases before reaching the age of 70 was 21.6% for men and 15% for women. The highest risks of premature death from non-communicable diseases were seen the WHO's South-East Asia Region for men (26.5%) and the African Region for women (20.1%), whereas the highest risks by national income were in the lower middle-income countries for both sexes (26.6% for men and 19.9% for women). The risk of death from non-communicable diseases increases with age, says the report.

Overall, in 2016 men were more likely than women to die from all four major non-communicable diseases, except in the African Region and the Eastern Mediterranean Region, where women had higher age-standardised rates of premature death from cancer than men, and in the Western Pacific Region and the Eastern Mediterranean Region, where female death rates from diabetes were higher.

From 2000 to 2016, the risk of premature non-communicable disease death decreased. The relative declines were slightly larger for women (19%) than for men (18%).

Biological differences between men and women are the main reasons for the variation in the risk of death from some non-communicable diseases, such as cancers of organs associated with reproduction (e.g. cervical, breast, prostate and testicular cancer).

Death rates may also be influenced by access to diagnosis and treatment. For example, cervical cancer rates are higher in low-income countries with poor access to health services. However, for many non-communicable diseases, death rates in men and women are driven by exposure to the same major modifiable risk factors; for example, tobacco use, harmful use of alcohol, unhealthy diet and physical inactivity, all of which vary by sex.

ELLANIE SMIT

Swapo's Rundu office delayed

The new Swapo Party office at Rundu is still far from completion.

The contractor, Africa Civil Engineering, had been expected to complete the project by the end of April. Swapo's business arm, Kalahari Holdings, early last year appointed Africa Civil Engineering to build an office for the party at Rundu. Namibian Sun has been reliably informed that the project is valued at around N$7 million.

Neither Kalahari Holdings general manager Etuna Nashima, nor Africa Civil Engineering director Hasho Kapula has commented on the delay.

Nashima refused to comment, while Kapula requested written questions but failed to respond despite repeated reminders.

According to a reliable source, the project was expected to run from May 2018 to the end of April 2019.

The source also said that Africa Civil Engineering diverged from the initial design by installing wooden doors instead of the aluminium ones specified in the contract. They then had to rectify the situation. Namibian Sun understands that the current subcontractor, Nghiweni Investment, is the fourth one appointed by Africa Civil Engineering for this project.

It is believed that the contracts of the first three subcontractors were terminated because they had failed to pay their workers.

Last Friday, there was an incident at the building site where Julius Nghiweni, owner of the subcontracted company, came close to being attacked by employees demanding three months of unpaid wages.

Nghiweni told the media that he refused to pay the workers' wages because of the theft of a generator and building material from the site.

Nghiweni said he was informed that his workers would invite unknown persons onto the site during the day and load cement onto their trucks. A security guard is only on duty at night.

“These guys would just hire a bakkie and it would come on the other side of the building and then they steal the cement bags. I am not making this up, they can confirm, and we have a list of how those who were found having done so and some have paid back the money,” Nghiweni said.

Nghiweni said he was retaining the money paid over by the main contractor to cover the cost of the generator.

After lengthy debates and arguments, the parties later agreed that because none of the workers had confessed to stealing the generator, money would be deducted from their outstanding wages.

Those who were to earn N$3 000 or more would be deducted N$1 000, whereas those owed N$1 500 would be deducted N$500.

Asked why he did not open a police case when the generator disappeared, Nghiweni said his employees had agreed to contribute from their wages to cover the cost.

KENYA KAMBOWE

Prayer warriors to battle Rundu infighting

KENYA KAMBOWE

Churches in Rundu will be holding a prayer session today in the hope of restoring unity among councillors at the town.

The intervention, set to take place at the Rundu town council premises, comes after political infighting among Swapo councillors has rocked the town since November last year.

The town has also been operating without a management committee.

This has resulted in acting Rundu CEO Sikongo Haihambo tendering his resignation. He is set to leave office at the end of next month.

According to one of the organisers of event, Rundu businesswoman Elizabeth Hilger, said their intervention comes after many failed attempts by stakeholders to stabilise the situation.

She made reference to the Swapo politburo chaired by President Hage Geingob also having failed to resolve the matter.

She also mentioned several unsuccessful attempts by the Swapo leader assigned to Kavango East, James Sankwasa, to find an amicable solution.

Earlier this month Namibian Sun reported that Swapo secretary-general Sophia Shaningwa does not want to be disturbed by questions about the ongoing fracas at Rundu.

Shaningwa indicated she was advised to distance herself from the Rundu town council issue.

Hilger explained the crisis was not just dividing councillors, but also council employees and residents.

“In this infighting, you can see that there is division amongst the councillors and it goes down to the staff members, who are now also divided. This bad spirit is also spreading down to the residents of Rundu, as they now identify themselves as belonging to this or that group. This is not good,” Hilger explained.

“You can never be successful and be a good leader without the word of God. This is why we organised as churches in order to pray for the councillors, the employees and the residents,” she said.

Hilger said there will be scripture readings, preaching and singing, as well as prayers.

Meanwhile, urban and rural development minister Peya Mushelenga has given the divided Rundu town council an ultimatum to have its full management committee in place by next Friday or face the consequences.

Massacre suspect under observation

The case against Rundu massacre suspect, 21-year-old Jesaya Gabriel Chuhunda, has been postponed until late next month, as the court is still waiting for a mental observation report.

Chuhunda is accused of murdering five of his family members at Rundu's Ndama location in July last year.

He was expected to appear in the Rundu Magistrate's Court on Tuesday, but was not brought to court because he is still under mental observation in Windhoek.

Magistrate Sonia Samupofu postponed the matter to 27 June.

Chuhunda was arrested on 1 July last year after allegedly killing his grandmother, Ndongo Ntumba (77), his mother Ndara Elizabeth Mpande (46) and his three nephews Musenge Petrus Muruti (six), Hausiku Daniel Kapumburu (four) and Musenge Elias Tjingelesu (three).

According to the police, Chuhunda went berserk when his sister refused to give him money.

“The motive behind the suspect's actions is allegedly that he demanded to be given money earlier during the day. However, the money was not given to him and as a result he assaulted the sister. The sister went to report the matter to the police and that agitated the suspect, who then assaulted his family, killing them instantly with a stick,” the crime report said at the time.

It was further alleged that Chuhunda is a drug user and could be mentally challenged.

The case also resulted in two senior police officers, then station commander Chief Inspector Andreas Mushongo Haingura, and Chief Inspector Eberhard Muyambo, being found guilty of negligence, after the police did not respond adequately prior to the killings.

It was alleged that Chuhunda's sister called the police shortly before the killings, but they did not respond as there was no transport available. It was on this basis that an internal investigation was carried out.

Haingura and Muyambo were fined N$1 500 each, while Haingura was redeployed to the Kavango East regional police headquarters.

KENYA KAMBOWE

Nekundi lashes SOE importsTimber looters also under fire The deputy minister of public enterprises has lashed out at timber looters, as well as SOEs and private entities that import products that are available locally.

State-owned enterprises board members will effectively be blacklisted if they allow the importing of goods that can be procured locally, says public enterprises deputy minister Veikko Nekundi.

He also made reference to the issue of timber looting, saying the trees should not be shipped out of the country, but should instead be used to manufacture products locally.

“All the school desks and chairs are made of wood. Don't tell me Namibia does not have trees that can make wood, which would be a hypocritical mindset,” Nekundi said.

He also issued a stern warning to private entities that procure goods from other countries, saying Namibians should no longer be job-creators for people in other countries.

Nekundi, who described the issue as tantamount to corporate hypocrisy, said this should no longer be tolerated, adding that as long as the ministry holds the right to appoint these boards, such drastic measures will be implemented.

“You take from a Namibian and take it to South Africa or somewhere else; it cannot be tolerated in a free and independent Namibia,” Nekundi said.

“We are sending out a stern warning to board members who are serving on public enterprises that if they are not changing that, they will be blacklisted. They will no longer be appointed to serve on any boards as long as we are in charge of appointing those boards.”

Nekundi made the remarks on Wednesday during the Women Action for Development (WAD) field day and graduation ceremony, which was held in Nkurenkuru in Kavango West.

He said that both state and private companies operating in Namibia should procure goods and services locally, if they are available. Nekundi also took a swing at private companies.

“Time has come; you are either a corporate in the Namibian market to appreciate the products and services or you simply 'chip out',” Nekundi said.

He explained that every imported product results in money leaving the country and jobs being created elsewhere, while there are many youth entrepreneurs in Namibia who do not get support.

“We cannot export our money to create jobs in other countries; we have to support local entrepreneurs,” he said.

“For that matter, some of these public enterprises are being subsidised with taxpayers' money, including by these entrepreneurs whom they do not want to support; it's a hypocrisy, its corporate hypocrisy.

“This equally goes for the private enterprises. Namibians spend their money keep these enterprises flourishing, while what they procure is imported. It cannot be. We cannot have corporate hypocrisy,” Nekundi said.

Nekundi said government would continue to strive to have a conducive environment for people to operate in.

He urged the WAD field graduates to not only think about being employed by the state, but to be innovative and start their own businesses.

KENYA KAMBOWE