Namibian Sun

40 000 farmers trained through agri centres yearly167 agricultural development centres established across country To date, an average of 40 000 farming households benefit from subsidised ploughing, planting and weeding services, as well as agricultural inputs such as improved seed varieties and fertilisers on an annual basis.

ELLANIE SMIT

WINDHOEK

A total of 167 agricultural development centres were established in all 14 regions, through which about 40 000 farmers are advised and trained in various agricultural production areas annually.

This is according to the agriculture ministry, which highlighted some of the major achievements reached in the sector since independence.

According to deputy director of public relations in the agriculture ministry Chrispin Matongela, the ministry implemented the Dry Land Crop Production Programme in 10 crop-growing regions, aimed at enhancing crop production.

To date, an average of 40 000 farming households benefit from subsidised ploughing, planting and weeding services, as well as agricultural inputs such as improved seed varieties and fertilisers on an annual basis through this programme.

Creating climate resilience

Since 2015, the ministry has implemented the Comprehensive Conservation Agriculture Programme in crop-growing regions, aimed at promoting improved crop productivity, soil fertility and to mitigate against low and variable rainfall, thereby creating climate resilience to farmers.

Through this programme, a total of 5 000 farmers was trained and practice at least one of the conservation agriculture principles.

The ministry also implements the Small Stock Distribution and Development Project, through which it provides quality core breeding flock of suitable indigenous goats to 20 selected vulnerable households per region, leading to beneficiaries gaining a sustainable means of income generation and food security.

A total of 60 farmers received 1 260 goats from the project since its inception in 2014.

Furthermore, nine abattoirs, eight auction kraals and two meat processing facilities were established to provide markets for livestock producers.

Fresh produce hubs

Matongela added that the ministry expanded and developed 11 Green Scheme Irrigation Projects covering a total area of 5 600 hectares of land under irrigation in several parts of the country.

“Two fresh produce business hubs were constructed in Rundu and Ongwediva to create a secure and reliable marketing environment for fresh produce and increase value addition though processing.”

He added that the national strategic food reserves, with a total capacity of 22 900 metric tonnes, were also constructed in the northern and north-eastern regions.

EDITORIAL It is said that “fools multiply when wise men are silent”. Our country is overflowing with astute men and women who are prepared, if given a platform, to stitch up its torn fabric.

In contrast, it could be argued too that we have huge numbers of people with no moral authority of any standing whom the nation can look up to for solutions to their daily challenges.

But because cronyism has become so entrenched, Namibians of goodwill have been closed out of the circles of empowerment wherein only friends and associates are allowed, even if they have ineptitude written all over their faces.

In 1983, political scientist Benedict Anderson wrote a book called ‘Imagined Communities’ in which he argued that nations exist and are maintained as imagined communities.

His point was that communities should not necessarily exist and function because all their members know each other personally, but because they have embraced an imagined sense of oneness.

Our own liberation struggle was anchored on Anderson’s theory. Here, men and women from all corners of our country, some of whom communicated through sign language because they didn’t understand each other’s vernaculars, fought together against the common enemy because they felt a sense of belonging to one community.

If Namibia can recapture that sense, this nation will fly high again and overcome its common challenges.

She keeps on thriving“Everything you want is on the other side of dedication. Anything you put your mind to, you can accomplish.”

Rivaldo Kavanga

The name Thrive Vinomaandero brings sparks when mentioned in a room. The very fact that her name, Thrive, means to grow, prosper or flourish already tells you what Thrive Vinomaandero is all about. She is a 20-year-old psychology and German studies student at the University of Namibia and an activist and feminist writer. She is the national secretary for gender, disability, marginalised communities and social welfare for the Namibia National Students Organisation (NANSO), as well as a volunteer and project coordinator for the Young Feminist Movement of Namibia.

Thriving Leadership

“Leadership did not really 'kick in' for me, it has been part of who I am since I was a little girl. Growing up I was always described as 'bossy', it stuck and allowed me to take up incredible roles that have shaped the leader I am today,” says Thrive. She is a volunteer for the Take Back Project under the Young Feminist Movement of Namibia, which aims to encourage writing, especially in indigenous languages, as a form of activism. The goal is to give adolescent girls and young women, particularly those in rural areas, the platform to reclaim their narratives and tell their own stories.

“We have hosted workshops at Opuwo, Witvlei and Windhoek and have collected poems, pieces and stories from these individuals for publishing in a booklet,” says Thrive. As the secretary of gender, disability, marginalised communities and social welfare for NANSO, she is the chairperson of the organisation’s women’s subcommittee, responsible for the promotion and articulation of NANSO’s policy on women and disabled persons and she monitors and promote the right of young women, marginalised and disabled persons to education and their participation in social life.

“I advocate for women, girls and non-binary individuals. My dream is to create a Namibia that is safe for women and queer people to be able to exist without being constant targets of abuse. To have complete autonomy over our bodies and be able to do as we like; to be financially independent and empowered as best we can. That is what I advocate for.” Her greatest strength is her ability to be resilient. “Very little can break my will for life and I admire this about myself,” she says.

Hurdles

Thrive say the biggest national problem in Namibia for the girl child is sexual and gender-based violence. “Being a survivor of sexual abuse myself, it is something I hold very close to my heart. Nothing is more dehumanising than this,” says Thrive.

Although she has reached her current milestones, there has been some challenges along the way.

“Some of my greatest challenges were teaching myself how to stay authentic to myself and the things I believe in. I also had to learn how to stand up for myself, being a woman in this male-driven world, you cannot allow anyone to walk all over you.”

The Future

Her biggest goals are becoming a published author and a registered psychologist.

“The mind is where thoughts that become actions are born and when one is able to conquer and take care of their mind, they are able to conquer the world. In terms of writing, it is my deepest passion and I believe bearing your soul to share with others is the greatest form of bravery.”

Her dreams are what get her out of bed every morning. She is an ambitious young woman and will stop at nothing to accomplish the dreams and goals she has set out for my life. “Everything you want is on the other side of dedication. Anything you put your mind to, you can accomplish.”

Thrive does not have a specific role model but rather people that inspire her to be better in different aspects of life. “These include my mother, Florence Mahua, Ester Simon and the way she has paved for women in student politics, the trailblazing Emma Theofelus being Africa's youngest minister, in terms of writing Beauty Boois and the way they write relatable and very important stories. These are only to mention a few,” she says.

Her message to young girls is to stay authentic to yourself and your dreams; chase after the things you want. “Keep your eyes on God and always be a little bit of a wild woman because good girls rarely make history,” Thrive says.

Namfisa pays N$1m monthly rentFinancial regulator could cough up N$100m during current contract The regulator is bonded to a five-year contract worth nearly N$100 million in rental fees, with no funds secured yet to fund the construction of its own office.

STAFF REPORTER

WINDHOEK

Namibia’s financial regulator is currently forking out millions for office rental space from private property owners, paying N$1.02 million in monthly rent.

According to its latest annual report, the Namibia Financial Institutions Supervisory Authority’s (Namfisa) staff complement, including contract staff, stood at 172 on 31 March 2020.

In 2019, the Central Procurement Board of Namibia awarded a rental tender to Keyplot Investments to provide office space to Namfisa until 2024, with an option to extend for another two years.

The rental amount is subject to an annual increase of 6% as well as an escalation rate of 13% on operational costs yearly. By the time the rental agreement lapses, Namfisa would have paid about N$100 million.

Keyplot and Sannib Investments were the only bidders, with the latter losing out after failing to submit mandatory documents such as a Social Security good standing certificate, Affirmative Compliance Certificate and a letter of intent indicating proof of access to credit lines.

Land purchased

Namfisa spokesperson Vicky Muranda last week said the regulator has already purchased land in Windhoek on which it plans to construct an office building for own use.

“Namfisa will attempt to obtain funding for this project, following which construction will commence. This process will, however, take some time to complete, during which time Namfisa needs to make use of rented office space to house its operations,” she said.

The financial regulator previously rented office space at the Sanlam Centre and Alexander Forbes house.

Asked why the authority opted to rent office space for over N$1 million monthly and why there was a need to move from their previous landlords, Muranda said: “Let me also stress the benefits of renting one office as opposed to the previous rental arrangement under which Namfisa operations were housed in two office buildings which was separated by a major street in the CBD”.

She said staff are now housed in one office building, making it easier for staff engagements and service delivery to customers as well as improved relationships with customers and stakeholders.

She also listed “improved safety of Namfisa staff” as a benefit, adding “it is safer for staff not to cross the busy road in the CBD on a daily basis between the two buildings that were occupied”.

Furthermore, documents containing confidential information no longer need to be continuously moved between two different sites, she said.

White Afrikaners seek native status

JEMIMA BEUKES

WINDHOEK

Otjozondjupa resident Stefanus van der Merwe has requested the Ancestral Land Commission and the Namibian government to grant the Afrikaner community native status, like that of other African communities in the country.

He also asked for fair treatment for white Namibians, such as with regards to access to Agribank loans on the same conditions as black Namibians and being considered for resettlement.

In his submission, Van der Merwe said this will allow his community to enjoy all benefits of being Namibia without discrimination in any form.

According to the report, Van der Merwe’s family left the Transvaal in South Africa in 1875 and settled at Rietfontein near Gobabis a year later.

The family eventually settled in Etosha in 1880, while some settled in Kaokoland.

“To define ancestral land in the country is very difficult, if not impossible. How far back in the past is a justifiable starting point? Do we talk about 30 years ago, 50 years, 100 years or 500 years or still backwards?” he submitted.

White settlers

According to him, white people arrived in Namibia from the Cape area already in 1760 and settled around the Swakop River, as well as Keetmanshoop where some of them farmed.

“There were already white traders, farmers, hunters, discoverers, etc in South West Africa [Namibia] in 1800,” he said.

Van der Merwe also submitted that land was bought legally from the Owambo King Kambonde ka Mpingana in 1884, stretching from Namutoni in a straight line to Okaukuejo through to Waterberg to Okatjiruo.

“There were no OvaHereros in that area. The transaction process took place over a long period, and if there was dissatisfaction among the San, there was ample time for them to express their opposition against the transaction. The land was bought from the Owambos, and their chief as well as his councillors have signed the selling contract.

“The missionary at Ondangwa also signed as a witness,” he said.

Resettlement farms

Van der Merwe also advised government to develop unoccupied land, provide access to water and use the land to grow crops to ensure food security and employ people.

“Regular visits and inspections should take place when people are resettled on resettlement farms. Training regarding farming is also very important and should be provided to the resettled farmers.

“Laws and regulations should be enforced on those farms to ensure that they do not become places of criminal activities. Resettlement farms would become sustainable and contribute to food security in the country if training, regular visits and information related to farming are provided,” he said.

jemima@namibiansun.com

Uproar over Mberirua’s N$650k payout

OGONE TLHAGE

WINDHOEK

Air Namibia’s interim CEO Theo Mberirua -who worked for the airline for just over eight months - will walk away with a N$651 879.50 severance pay cheque once the airline’s liquidation has been concluded.

This means he will be amongst the 20 highest severance pay earners.

Mberirua’s payout is contained in documents submitted to the Business and Intellectual Property Authority of Namibia last week.

Mberirua’s appointment was effective 13 July 2020, replacing acting CEO Elia Erastus.

A total of N$105 million will be paid the airline’s 629 employees, a figure which has angered cabin crew members.

Cabin Crew Union president Reginald Kock yesterday said "the amount cannot be justified”.

‘What did he do?’

“He could not even get normal services to resume at a bare minimum. He could not get the business plan approved. What did he do? It’s shocking. I am shocked," Kock said.

Namibia Airline Pilots Association president Heino Jakob also questioned the amount.

"It seems like a high amount. Is this just another golden handshake? It will be worthwhile to see how they got to that amount."

Air Namibia’s former board chairperson Escher Luanda at one point defended Mberirua’s appointment, stating that the airline needed a CEO, despite its meagre resources.

“While we may be facing financial challenges in these difficult times, we equally value the need to have an executive as highly regarded as Mr Mberirua. We have the financial resources to compensate the interim CEO and we are fortunate that the agreed remuneration with the incumbent is within the confines of the public enterprises legislation,” Luanda was quoted by The Namibian as saying.

Mberirua’s appointment by the board was reportedly against the advice of public enterprises minister Leon Jooste, who said no CEO should be appointed while the government is investigating realignment options for the airline.

Prior to his appointment at Air Namibia, Mberirua was an executive with Bidvest Namibia. He has also served as the managing director of Standard Bank and Telecom respectively.

Efforts to get comment from Jooste proved futile.

Naamsa welcomes govt’s R1.8 billion allocationCurbing grey imports, illicit cross-border activities More than 300 000 of the 12.7 million cars on South African roads are grey imports. We estimate that the impact of grey imports is costing the fiscus R3.8 billion per annum. Mikel Mabasa, CEO: Naamsa

Naamsa, the Automotive Business Council welcomes the allocation of R1.8 billion to curb grey imports and illicit cross-border activities.

Grey imports have a massive negative impact on the automotive ecosystem in South Africa and cost the fiscus an estimated R3.8 billion annually in uncollected taxes.

More than 300 000 of the 12.7 million cars on South African roads are grey imports. This figure is growing at 30 000 vehicles per annum. Unquestionably, this displaces new car sales and harms the country’s economy.

Mikel Mabasa, Naamsa CEO says that based on the suite of taxes applicable to new car sales locally, “we estimate that the impact of grey imports is costing the fiscus R3.8 billion per annum. This grows to over R4 billion when you consider the taxable income on corporate profits in the value chain”.

“Grey imports within the automotive industry do not only rob the fiscus of the much-needed revenue, but they also hurt job creation prospects for many young people who are currently unemployed in our country. The importation of these illegal second-hand vehicles also supports criminal activity in the country and undermines road safety initiatives”, said Mabasa.

“To put the grey import challenge into perspective from a business side of things, the average new vehicle market for 2020 is 28 500 units. Grey imports represent an extra month’s sales per annum. Effectively, grey imports represent 7.5% of total market and would be the third largest brand in South Africa by volume”, Mabasa reaffirms.

Naamsa said it was encouraged by the additional allocation of to fight grey importation of goods and services into the South African market.

Infrastructure investment

Minister Tito Mboweni’s faced the difficult task of balancing the economic stability and the reality of an eroded tax base, escalating debt to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and struggling consumers and businesses. The budget announcement of R791.2 billion infrastructure investment supported by the government's commitment to establishing Special Economic Zones [SEZs] industrial bases will boost economic activities, industrial performance and will address the widening infrastructure deficit.

In line with the countries aspirations, the automotive sector has announced a range of investment opportunities to boost South Africa's manufacturing capacity. Some of the automotive investments announced recently by president Ramaphosa during his State of the Nation Address, include Toyota's first production of hybrid vehicles in South Africa, local production of Nissan's Navara, Isuzu’s D-MAX bakkie, and Mercedes-Benz investments. Furthermore, Ford Motor Company announced a R16 billion investment, which will create 1 200 jobs in the coming years.

Tshwane Special Economic Zone procurement spent on construction amounting to R1.7 billion will be allocated for SMMEs. The R6 billion Automotive Industry Transformation Fund [AITF] is now fully operational and has registered about 40 component manufacturing companies.

Opportunities

The South African (SA) mining and manufacturing belt is beginning to prioritise the production of metals and minerals used in the production of Electric Vehicles [EVs].

The booming battery sector has resulted in the increase in PGM shares and commodity prices as demand continues to outstrip supply. This is a positive development for the South African automotive industry as the forecast is for EV sales in Europe to comprise 40% by 2030 and 80% by 2040. The Electric, Plug-in and traditional hybrid sales in South Africa have been below the 1% mark for the past 10 years, with 4 892 Electric, Plug-in and traditional hybrid new vehicle units sold out of the 5 694 860 aggregated market sales since 2011.

The South African automotive sector stakeholders, through the SAAM 2035 Executive Oversight Committee, are working towards creating a market-friendly regulatory framework that would enable the local production of EV's in SA and ensure that the total cost of ownership of the EV becomes less with the Internal Combustion Engine [ICE] vehicles in terms of price, fuel and service costs over time.

Budget summary

SA's economy is expected to rebound by 3.6% in 2021, following a 7.2% contraction in 2020. 65% of Economists surveyed by Bloomberg said that SA will not achieve a primary budget surplus in the next four years.

On the budget highlights, the non-tax increments and a 1% corporate income tax reduction are welcomed, especially when businesses face Covid-19 fuelled economic difficulties.

The decision not to increase taxes will reduce the pressures on households, businesses and boost investor confidence. The government has allocated more than R10 billion to purchase and deliver vaccines over the next two years and has procured an estimated 42 million vaccines to-date.

Despite the government’s increased support during the pandemic, the country still faces severe economic challenges. Recently, SA announced that the unemployment rate climbed to a record 32.5% in the fourth quarter of 2020 from the 30.8% recorded in the third quarter of 2020. This is the highest unemployment rate since 2008.

The gross national debt is projected to stabilise at 88.9% of GDP by 2025/26, this is a significant improvement from the 95.3% previously projected for the 2020. SA welfare grant cost-to-GDP is R385 billion, with 18.2 million registered recipients. The baseline forecast for South Africa's energy efficiency and electric supply continues to be unpredictable, which is a detriment to the country's developmental trajectory and the stability of businesses. - MotorPress

COMPANY NEWS IN BRIEF

McDonald's could sell part of Dynamic Yield

McDonald's Corp is exploring selling part of Israeli artificial intelligence start-up Dynamic Yield Ltd, which it acquired two years ago in an attempt to boost online marketing efforts, the company said on Friday.

Dynamic Yield, run as a standalone company within McDonald's, personalises customers' experience by changing offerings on the chain's Drive Thru menu displays, according to time of day, weather, customer traffic and trending choices.

The start-up, whose customers include IKEA and Lacoste, has businesses with more than 300 brands globally.

"The potential sale of the non-McDonald's part of our business has been discussed from the outset and now feels like the right time to explore that possibility," its chief executive, Liad Agmon, said in a statement.

The Chicago-based hamburger chain said it was considering a sale of only the part of Dynamic Yield that works with other companies with no timeline set for the deal. - Nampa/Reuters

Cerrejon signs deal with indigenous community

Colombian coal mine Cerrejon said on Friday it has signed an agreement with a Wayuu indigenous community to comply with court-ordered environmental and health requirements.

The Provincial community in La Guajira has long argued with the company, which is jointly owned by BHP Group, Anglo American Plc and Glencore Plc, over pollution, dust, noise, water use and health problems.

Colombia's Constitutional Court previously ordered Cerrejon to comply with requirements aimed at protecting health and the environment, while a United Nations Special Rapporteur last year called on the government to suspend some of the mine's operations on the concerns.

The agreement, which the company said was signed by Cerrejon and the leader of Provincial, includes building a community health centre and an environmental rehabilitation program, which will include planting 250 000 trees.

The company will implement a court-ordered program to clean community facilities and nearby areas over the next five years and will also provide technical support for measuring air quality, the statement shared by Cerrejon said. - Nampa/Reuters

SoftBank reaches settlement with Neumann

SoftBank Group Corp said on Friday it has reached a settlement with WeWork's special committee and the company's co-founder and former chief executive, Adam Neumann, putting to rest a legal battle dating back to 2019.

SoftBank, the new owner of the office-sharing firm, did not disclose terms of the settlement. Media reports earlier this week indicated the deal includes a nearly $500 million cut in Neumann's pay-out from SoftBank.

The legal tussle between SoftBank and Neumann started in 2019, when SoftBank agreed to buy around US$3 billion in WeWork stock belonging to Neumann as well as current and former WeWork employees. SoftBank later contested its obligation to purchase the shares.

Under the new settlement, SoftBank will purchase around half the shares it had originally agreed to buy, a source familiar with the talks had told Reuters on Monday.

The settlement is also expected to clear the decks for WeWork as it reportedly pursues a public listing by merging with a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC). - Nampa/Reuters

Citigroup revises earnings

Citigroup Inc said on Friday it recorded an additional US$390 million in operating expenses in the 2020 fourth quarter after a US federal judge ruled it was not entitled to recoup money it mistakenly wired to lenders of Revlon Inc last year.

As a result, Citigroup revised its fourth-quarter earnings to US$1.92 per share down from US$2.08, according to a filing.

In August, an “operational error” caused Citigroup to send US$893 million of its own funds to the cosmetic company’s lenders, appearing to pay off a loan not due until 2023, when it intended to send only a US$7.8 million interest payment.

To date, US$389.8 million had been repaid to the bank at its request, but some lenders have held on to the funds leading the bank to wage a legal battle against a group of hedge funds to recover the remainder.

US District Judge Jesse Furman in Manhattan said the transfers were complete transactions not subject to revocation and declined to force the defendants to return the funds. Citigroup is planning to fight the decision. - Nampa/Reuters

Logitech warns on FY 2022 outlook

Computer goods maker Logitech International warned operating income for fiscal 2022 will drop back from a 2021 boom driven stoked by demand for mice and keyboards for work and leisure at home amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Operating income for fiscal 2022, measured under non-Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (non-GAAP), is expected to be between US$750 million and $800 million, the Swiss-US company said.

That's down from the US$1.1 billion it now expects for fiscal 2021, a fraction up from a previous estimate of $1.05 billion.

Sales for fiscal 2022, measured in constant currency terms, will be about flat - plus or minus 5%. For fiscal 2021, Logitech raised its sales growth forecast to about 63% in constant currencies, up from the 57-60% range it previously expected.

In January, Logitech reported a more than three-fold jump in quarterly adjusted operating income, benefiting from the pandemic-driven boost in demand for work-from-home products and gaming accessories. - Nampa/Reuters

Obesity one of leading risk factors for premature death It is one of the world’s largest health problems – one that has shifted from being a problem in rich countries, to one that spans all income levels.

Obesity is most commonly measured using the body mass index (BMI) scale. The World Health Organization (WHO) define BMI as: “a simple index of weight-for-height that is commonly used to classify underweight, overweight and obesity in adults.

BMI values are used to define whether an individual is considered to be underweight, healthy, overweight or obese. The WHO defines these categories using the cut-off points: an individual with a BMI between 25.0 and 30.0 is considered to be ‘overweight’; a BMI greater than 30.0 is defined as ‘obese’.

The Global Burden of Disease is a major global study on the causes and risk factors for death and disease published in the medical journal The Lancet. These estimates of the annual number of deaths attributed to a wide range of risk factors.

Risk factor

Obesity is a risk factor for several of the world’s leading causes of death, including heart disease, stroke, diabetes and various types of cancer. It does not directly cause any of these health impacts but can increase their likelihood of occurring.

According to the Global Burden of Disease study 4.7 million people died prematurely in 2017 as a result of obesity. To put this into context: this was close to four times the number that died in road accidents, and close to five times the number that died from HIV/AIDS in 2017

At a basic level, weight gain – eventually leading to being overweight or obesity – is determined by a balance of energy. When we consume more energy – typically measured in kilocalories – than the energy expended to maintain life and carry out daily activites , we gain weight. This is a called an energy surplus. When we consume less energy than we expend, we lose weight – this is an energy deficit.

Kilocalorie

This means there are two potential drivers of the increase in obesity rates in recent decades: either an increase in kilocalorie intake i.e. we eat more; or we expend less energy in daily life through lower activity levels. Both elements are likely to play a role in the rise in obesity.

To tackle obesity it’s likely that interventions which address both components: energy intake and expenditure are necessary. Over the past century – but particularly over the past 50 years – the supply of calories has increased across the world. In the 1960s, the global average supply of calories (that is, the availability of calories for consumers to eat) was 2200kcal per person per day. By 2013 this had increased to 2800kcal.

Across most countries, energy consumption has therefore increased. If this increase was not met with an increase in energy expenditure, weight gain and a rise in obesity rates is the result.

Overall we see a strong positive relationship: countries with higher rates of overweight tend to have a higher supply of calories.

How do we measure obesity in adults?

The most common metric used for assessing the prevalence of obesity is the body mass index (BMI) scale. The World Health Organization define BMI as: “a simple index of weight-for-height that is commonly used to classify underweight, overweight and obesity in adults. It is defined as the weight in kilograms divided by the square of the height in metres (kg/m2). For example, an adult who weighs 70kg and whose height is 1.75m will have a BMI of 22.9.”

Measured BMI values are used to define whether an individual is considered to be underweight, healthy, overweight or obese. The WHO defines these categories using the cut-off points in the table. For example, an individual with a BMI between 25.0 and 30.0 is considered to be ‘overweight’; a BMI greater than 30.0 is defined as ‘obese’.

How do we measure obesity in children and adolescents?

The metric for measuring bodyweight in children and adolescents is also the body mass index (BMI) scale, measured in the same way described above. However, interpretation of BMI scores is treated differently for children and adolescents. Whilst there is no differentiation of weight categories in adults based on sex or age, these are important factors in the body composition of children. Factors such as age, gender and sexual maturation affect the BMI of younger individuals. For interpretation of individuals between the ages of 2 and 20 years old, BMI is measured relative to peers of the same age and gender, with weight classifications judged as shown in the table.

Is BMI an appropriate measure of weight-related health?

The merits of using BMI as an indicator of body fat and obesity are still contested. A key contention to the use of BMI indicators is that it provides a measure of body mass/weight rather than providing a direct measure of body fat. Whilst physicians continue to use BMI as a general indicator of weight-related health risks, there are some cases where its use should be considered more carefully:

muscle mass can increase bodyweight; this means athletes or individuals with a high muscle mass percentage can be deemed overweight on the BMI scale, even if they have a low or healthy body fat percentage;

muscle and bone density tends to decline as we get older; this means that an older individual may have a higher percentage body fat than a younger individual with the same BMI; women tend to have a higher body fat percentage than men for a given BMI.

Physicians must therefore evaluate BMI results carefully on a individual basis. Despite outlier cases where BMI is an inappropriate indicator of body fat, its use provides a reasonable measure of the risk of weight-related health factors across most individuals across the general population. Sources: Sciencedaily, ourworldindata, The Lancet

SA proposes to change pension fund rules

South Africa's National Treasury is proposing changing rules governing pension funds to encourage investment in infrastructure projects.

Africa's most industrialised nation, the hardest-hit by the coronavirus pandemic on the continent has put public works in sectors such as transport, energy and water at the heart of its economic recovery plans.

The Treasury is proposing changes to Regulation 28 of the Pension Funds Act in draft amendments published for public comment on Friday. This rule sets the maximum percentage of a fund's assets that can be invested in different asset classes and is aimed to shield savers from over-concentrated investments.

The proposed amendments do not introduce infrastructure as a new asset class alongside existing ones like equities, debt instruments and property but allow for infrastructure investments to be recognised within those asset classes.

They also say overall investment in infrastructure across all asset categories may not exceed 45% of domestic exposure and an additional 10% for the rest of Africa.

The changes should make it easier for retirement funds to invest in infrastructure and allow for better measurement of investment in projects, the Treasury said in a statement.

The changes are "informed by a number of calls for increased investment in infrastructure given the current low economic growth climate," it said, stressing that the decision to invest in any asset class remained up to the board of trustees of each fund. The public can comment on the amendments until late March. - Nampa/Reuters

Hormuud Telecom awarded mobile money licenceFinancial innovations boost transactions, growth More than two thirds of all payments made in Somalia are via mobile money platforms. This will help for the sector to have corresponding banking relations and integrate with the international financial system. Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, Governor: Central Bank of Somalia

Somalia awarded its first mobile money licence to Hormuud Telecom on Saturday, in a move aimed at formalising the Horn of Africa country's digital payments system and integrating it with the global financial infrastructure.

Hormuud Telecom began operating in Somalia in 2002 and has some 3.6 million subscribers among the country's population of more than 15 million people. It said in a statement that around 3 million people use its mobile money platform EVC Plus.

By granting Mogadishu-based Hormuud the licence, EVC Plus will now be subject to central bank regulation, which should boost confidence in the country's mobile money system, the governor of Somalia's monetary authority said.

"The mobile money sector in Somalia has never been regulated, which added to the perceived risk of the financial sector in Somalia," Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi told Reuters in a telephone interview.

"This will help for the sector to have corresponding banking relations and integrate with the international financial system," he added.

Convenience

More than two thirds of all payments made in Somalia are via mobile money platforms, Hormuud Telecom said, and the licence will help Somalia move towards becoming a cashless economy and tackle widespread counterfeiting.

"The news today cements what we've known for a long time, that Somalia is moving towards being the world's first truly cashless economy," Ahmed Mohamud Yuusuf, Hormuud Telecom's chief executive said.

A 2018 World Bank report said approximately 155 mobile money million transactions, worth US$2.7 billion, were recorded in Somalia per month.

"Mobile money has superseded the use of cash in Somalia, with over 70% of adult Somalis using mobile money services regularly," the bank said at the time.

Somalia has been unstable since a civil war broke out in 1991 but the fragile internationally-backed government has been trying to rebuild its institutions and re-join the global financial system, despite a relentless Islamist insurgency. - Nampa/Reuters

Virtual currency a lifeline in Kenyan slums‘Sarafu’ growing in popularity The blockchain-based technology helps struggling families afford the essentials and avoid becoming victims of loan sharks. Blockchain can foster local trade by tapping resources that are ignored by mainstream businesses. - Nelson Ochieng’, Social worker: Kenya

Kagondu Njagi - Sitting on a low bench at her shop in a Nairobi slum, Grace Wangari sifted through a handful of grains that a waiting customer had just ordered.

As she poured them into a shopping bag, the customer scrolled through her phone to pay for the purchase.

Normally, Wangari would have been paid in shilling notes, Kenya's hard currency, but in some way she preferred the digital payment that was instantly transferred to her phone.

"I am happy with this transaction because there is no risk of losing my stock to conmen or people who have come to take goods on credit," said Wangari, a middle-aged trader in Mukuru Kayiaba, one of the city's poorest slums.

The transaction happened through Sarafu, a blockchain-based community currency that is helping thousands of Kenyan slum dwellers pay for food, water and sanitary items as they battle through the Covid-19 economic downturn.

Each week, families are issued with virtual vouchers worth 400 Kenyan shillings (US$4), which they can use to buy essential goods, said Roy Odhiambo, an innovation officer at Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS), one of the groups behind the project.

PANDEMIC HARDSHIP

Vendors can then send the vouchers to Grassroots Economics, the Nairobi-based social enterprise that co-developed Sarafu ("coins" in English) with US-based engineering firm BlockScience, and redeem them for cash.

Odhiambo said more than a third of the vendors in Mukuru are already signed up to the project, which launched in 2019 with the aim of helping struggling families get hold of everyday basics without worrying about having cash on hand.

Now the project is providing a lifeline for families trying to cope with the financial pain of the pandemic, he noted.

Antony Ngoka, a field coordinator with Grassroots Economics, said thousands of slum residents, who are mostly casual workers, have lost their jobs during the pandemic.

Unable to get loans from traditional banks, many become easy prey for loan sharks, he added.

But, blockchain can help poor Kenyans avoid economic exploitation, said Nelson Ochieng’, a rights activist and social worker in Kibera, Nairobi's largest slum.

"Blockchain can foster local trade by tapping resources that are ignored by mainstream businesses. It also increases levels of trust among struggling communities," he said.

SECURE AND TRANSPARENT

In Mukuru Kayiaba slum, about 9 kilometres away from Nairobi city centre, some 4 000 residents have registered with Sarafu, according to Odhiambo of KRCS.

Developed with funding from global government donors, the platform can make an average of up to 1 million Kenyan shillings (US$9 000) in daily transactions, Odhiambo said.

Unlike cash aid, which can be spent on anything, Sarafu can only be used to pay for essentials such as food, health supplies and educational resources, he explained.

And, he added, because the platform runs on blockchain, meaning all transactions are tracked and transparent, that ensures people are spending the money only on necessities.

Odhiambo said KRCS is currently working with the Danish Red Cross and Innovation Norway, the government's business development agency, to roll out Sarafu across Kenya.

LOAN SHARKS

But, seeing the platform as a threat, loan sharks are using political and financial manipulation to lure Kenyans away from it, said Ochieng', the rights activist.

Informal lenders recruit people to spread rumours that blockchain is a Ponzi scheme with no backing from local leaders, a tactic that has successfully stifled the uptake of other blockchain-based projects in the past, he explained.

"The aim of loan sharks is to divert people from innovations that are helping them access basic services in the slums without having to pay interest," Ochieng' said.

They also pull in customers by offering much higher sums than they can get through Sarafu, with exorbitant interest rates, he added.

Violet Muraya, who sells water in Mukuru slum, said informal lenders can offer loans up to 10 times larger than anything available through the community currency.

"When people have emergencies and need huge amounts of money, they cannot use Sarafu. So, they go to loan sharks for help and end up being trapped in financial slavery," said Muraya.

Odhiambo said the Kenya Red Cross Society is running education and awareness-raising campaigns in areas where the project has been rolled out, to reassure users that the platform is safe and fair.

"At first there was resistance ... because of the propaganda. But the community has accepted this cashless transaction because they know it is not some type of betting or loan facility," he said.

'NO ONE GOING TO SLEEP HUNGRY'

At Isaac Makavu's food kiosk in Mukuru, customers lined up to order his steaming rolls of baked flat bread, chatting about an upcoming Premier League football game and sharing funny stories about their day.

Makavu said Sarafu has helped people in his community avoid eviction during the pandemic by allowing them to save their cash.

Some come together to pay each other's rent through table banking, a form of savings scheme where a group contributes a set amount of money every month and then uses that money to help members who need it.

Charities say evictions have been rife in parts of East Africa during the pandemic. In one instance in May 2020, Human Rights Watch reported more than 8 000 people living in two Nairobi slums were evicted from their homes.

"But there have been no evictions in areas where Sarafu is being used by slum communities because they were able to pay their rent on time," Makavu said.

"No one is going to sleep hungry here because they have community currency."– Nampa/Reuters

Okonjo-Iweala’s job ‘no bed of roses’Africa’s Ngozi takes WTO reins Hopes abound that Nigeria’s Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala will be able to help the WTO address a range of towering challenges, including navigating through the global economic crisis triggered by the pandemic. The WTO is like George Orwell’s book, Animal Farm, where some animals are more equal than others. - Dr Omu Kakujaha-Matundu, Senior economics lecturer: Unam

The appointment of Nigeria’s Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as the first African and first female chief of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) is good news for the continent, but her job is “no bed of roses”.

Okonjo-Iweala, who yesterday took office as the director-general of the WTO, will “face what we as Africans are facing at all other institutions like the United Nations, International Monetary Fund and World Bank – asymmetric power relations with the superpowers”, said Dr Omu Kakujaha-Matundu, a senior lecturer in economics at the University of Namibia (Unam).

The WTO is like “George Orwell’s book, Animal Farm, where some animals are more equal than others”, Kakujaha-Matundu said in an interview on Africa Good Morning, the daily news show of Namibia Media Holdings (NMH). Industrialised countries have a lot of influence over institutions like the WTO, he added.

The international news agency AFP reported that questions remain as to whether Okonjo-Iweala, considered a strong-willed trailblazer, will be able to mould the organisation in her image.

“While some observers voice hope that Okonjo-Iweala will inject much-needed energy, others stress she has little wiggle room to make dramatic changes, given that WTO decisions are made by member states - and only when they can reach consensus,” AFP said.

Kakujaha-Matundu believes the issue of agricultural subsidies will be one of Okonjo-Iweala’s toughest challenges. Rich countries subsidising their agricultural products mean Africa can’t compete and is pushing “millions and millions of Africans deeper into poverty”, he said.

‘READY TO GO’

Okonjo-Iweala told AFP she was eager to get straight to work.

"I am coming into one of the most important institutions in the world and we have a lot of work to do," the former Nigerian finance and foreign minister said as she arrived for her first day on the job in Geneva.

"I feel ready to go."

Hopes abound that the 66-year-old will be able to help the WTO address a range of towering challenges, including navigating through the global economic crisis triggered by the pandemic.

"The WTO is too important to allow it to be slowed down, paralysed and moribund," she told AFP a day after her nomination last month.

Ngozi hit the ground running, with her first day on the job coinciding with the annual meeting of the WTO's General Council.

"I am hoping to be able to listen in and see what delegations have to say, what ambassadors have to say, about the key issues," she told journalists about her expectations for her first day.

Delegates were expected to agree that the organisation's next ministerial conference, which had been scheduled for last year but was postponed due to the pandemic, will be held in Geneva in December.

PROTECTIONISM

Ngozi has said she is keen to push long-blocked trade talks on fishery subsidies across the finish line in time for the ministerial conference, but with negotiations dragging on, that could be a tough sell.

And in the midst of a global economic crisis, she has plenty of other challenges on her plate.

She has voiced particular concern about growing protectionism and nationalism during the coronavirus crisis and insists that trade barriers must be lowered to help the world recover.

Among the issues discussed yesterday is a controversial push for the WTO to waive intellectual property rights for Covid-19 vaccines.

Dozens of nations say this would help boost production and access and would rein in the pandemic sooner, but the notion has been fiercely rejected by pharmaceutical giants and the countries that host them.

Ngozi chaired the Gavi vaccine alliance before running for the WTO and has made tackling the pandemic one of her priorities.

FLEXIBILITY

In a likely bid to avoid a row on day one, Ngozi has called for flexibility, encouraging voluntary licensing agreements, such as the one agreed between AstraZeneca and the Serum Institute of India, whereby the SII factory manufactures the pharmaceutical giant's Covid-19 vaccines.

The Ottawa Group, which brings together the EU and 12 countries including Brazil, Canada and Switzerland, will meanwhile demand that countries commit not to hindering the flow of medical goods during the pandemic, and removing customs duties on those considered essential.

Another daunting challenge facing the new director-general will be following through on her vow to breathe life back into the appeals branch of the WTO's dispute settlement system.

The Appellate Body, sometimes called the supreme court of world trade, ground to a halt in December 2019 after years of relentless US opposition.

The United States, along with European countries and Canada, also want an overhaul at the WTO, believing it has not responded correctly to the trade distortions caused by China. – Own report and Nampa/AFP

Millions of dollars in brief NFA season• N$100 000 monthly grants The Namibia Premier Football League (NPFL) and the divisions teams are going to receive close to N$70 000 as pre-season preparation grants and N$100 000 as monthly grants, sources claim.

JESSE JACKSON KAURAISA

WINDHOEK

The Namibia Premier Football League (NPFL) season could cost the Namibia Football Association (NFA) over N$8 million in three months, without adding the other leagues.

The Namibia Football Association (NFA) on Monday released a statement informing its members that the transitional leagues for the 2020/2021 football season will kick off on 17 April 2021 and end on 31 July 2021.

Namibian Sun has been reliably informed that the association will disburse N$70 000 to each club for pre-season preparations.

“I understand that the monthly grant for the clubs will be N$100 000 each this season.

“I believe it will be better that what the MTC Namibia Premier League was offering to its clubs on a monthly basis,” the source said.

This means that the NFA could spend close to N$4.5 million just on the grants and pre-season funding of the NPFL, without adding the prize money.

But Namibian Sun also understands that the budget is subject to the approval of all members in the coming days.

“The truth is that the leagues and all will cost the association millions and I wonder if it can be sustainable after this season ends,” the source said.

The NPFL consists of Black Africa, Blue Waters, Citizens, Civics, Eleven Arrows, Julinho Sporting, Mighty Gunners, Orlando Pirates, Tigers, Tura Magic, Young African and Young Brazilians.

NPFL director Mabos Vries could neither confirm nor deny that the clubs will receive N$100 000 as monthly grants.

“We have not communicated any information about the grants to our members and I therefore do not know where you got that from.

“I will not be able to confirm if these are the correct figures you have until further notice,” Vries said.

The final dates of the MTC NFA Cup will be communicated once confirmed with the sponsor, MTC.

The MTC NFA Cup will commence with the preliminary rounds for the three first-division streams and Regional Second-Division League.

The preliminary rounds will determine the qualifiers for the knockout round of the competition comprising 32 teams, representing the 14 regions, six of the Nationwide First Division, two of each stream, and the twelve of the Namibia Premier Football League (NPFL).

Britz impressed by maturity

JESSE JACKSON KAURAISA

WINDHOEK

Brave Warriors under-20 coach James Britz says he was impressed by the maturity of most of his players and believes some of them can make it into the senior team.

The team returned from Mauritania on Monday after their under-20 Africa Cup of Nations journey ended in the group stages.

The team managed a 1-1 draw against Central African Republic and lost 2-0 and 1-0 to Tunisia and Burkina Faso.

They delivered performances that impressed many, including the coach.

“It is really not my place to say that the senior national team coach must select these players because I do not know his plans.

“If I could give my honest opinion, I would definitely say that some are ready to play at senior level because of their level of football maturity.

“I was really very impressed with how these boys played and I could not help but to be proud,” Britz said.

Open opportunities

Britz further added that he will create opportunities for other players to join the current crop of players.

The fact that they selected a relatively young team means about 16 of the players in the current squad can play for the under-20 team for the next three years.

“We are however also hoping to see some regional youth tournaments in order for us to add some new faces.

“All in all, I am very happy with what these young players can offer going forward and we just hope that they can eventually win bigger trophies,” Britz said.

Fifa favours Motsepe for Caf presidencyFresh start for African football Mamelodi Sundowns owner Patrice Motsepe's path to the Caf presidency appears to have become smoother after it emerged his rivals for the seat have been convinced to withdraw from the race and serve under him.

SUPERSPORT

Fifa has asked three candidates to back South Africa's Patrice Motsepe in the upcoming Confederation of African Football (Caf) presidential election, a source close to one of the candidates told AFP.

The previous incumbent, Ahmad Ahmad, was banned for breaches of Fifa's ethical code, but has had the ban suspended by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

World body Fifa is keen for a fresh start in Africa, the source said.

Motsepe is a South African mining billionaire and owner of reigning domestic champions Mamelodi Sundowns.

According to the source, Augustin Senghor of Senegal and Ahmed Yahya of Mauritania are open to the idea of backing Motsepe and becoming vice-presidents themselves.

Jacques Anouma of Ivory Coast would be offered a role as advisor to Motsepe. “Motsepe is Fifa's preferred candidate, they want someone new and not implicated in the former presidency,” the source said.

“They want a better image so they can attract investors and sponsors.”

Fifa has yet to reply to AFP's request for comments.

The Caf Presidential election is scheduled to be held in Rabat, Morocco, on 12 March.

Looser in Continental Road Championship

LIMBA MUPETAMI

WINDHOEK

Namibia's Vera Looser is in Cairo, Egypt, taking part in the African Continental Road Championship which consists of a road race, time-trial and a team time-trial.

The competition runs till 6 March and the cyclist said on her Facebook account that the decision to fly to Cairo was a last-minute decision.

Looser on Monday said they were able to look at half of the race course day.

“Half, because we are only allowed to ride on fully closed roads.

“It is nothing like I expected. The lap is just under 14 km and has an elevation gain of 240 metres per lap. It is really either up or down and it will be an interesting time trial and road race,” she wrote on social media.

The cyclist is preparing for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games slated for 28 July to 8 August.

The role of the microbiome in our health

Microbiome? What's that? Before you shy away from this article because of its scientific terms…please hear me out. I will try to simplify it as much as possible.

'Microbiome' is really just a fancy collective term for all the microorganisms (in other words organisms that are only visible with a microscope). Our bodies are full of these organisms – literally trillions of bacteria, viruses and fungi!

While some bacteria, viruses and fungi are associated with diseases, others are actually important for your immune, hormone and metabolic systems because they play a crucial role in how our brain and mental health functions.

Lessons from the Covid-19 pandemic and extensive research now points to the important relation between our gut and immune systems.

You see, most of this microbiome I am referring to resides in your digestive tract - mostly concentrated in a pocket within your colonic structure called the cecum, or on your skin. In fact, 70% of our immune system is located in our digestive tract.

About 100 trillion cell systems of bacteria, viruses and fungi reside in our digestive system. So, in reality we are made up of more bacteria than human cells. The microbiome could actually be considered as an extra organ system in our bodies.

Recent research shows just how profound the gut-immunity connection is; that there are powerful links between certain bacteria within the spectra of the microbiome and the risk they pose for conditions such as diabetes, obesity, and how diet is the number one determinant for the health of our microbiomes - even more so than genetics. This has been a real wake-up call regarding the impact of the microbiome on the immune response and chronic disease in the body.

Several studies revealed that the gut microbiomes of Covid-19 patients looked radically different compared to those of the uninfected population. Consequently, revealing that 'bad bacteria' were a huge predictor of the disease.

But studies are also showing that not all foods or food groups have the same impact on all individuals' microbiomes.

This therefore then prompts for personalised nutrition, and herein lies the opportunity to identify within our own native and cultural cuisines which food types may be considered as microbiome friendly.

In the Owambo culture, there is a common term used to describe any general pain located in the abdomen, 'endjadja' (intestine in English). In my earlier professional years, patients from the Owambo tribe would mention the term 'endjadja' to me, I would shy away from it because to me it seemed too broad and vague. But I am now reconsidering this and am intrigued to explore it in greater depth with regards to its relation to the microbiome concept.

Whoever came up with that term 'endjaja' might have had traditional wisdom in knowing that the gut has everything to do with our immunity.

As trends go, the medical world is now catching up and making huge investments to fund comprehensive microbiome research, to develop new therapies, testing models and personalised nutrition models.

In Africa, we are exposed to diets rich in fibre, and we ferment our foods as a preservative method, and so we should seriously consider joining the movement and see how to play our part.

Factors that influence our microbial make-up include, but are not limited to, medicine intake, exercise, sleeping patterns, smoking, hygiene practices and, of course, diet.

When your microbiome environment is disturbed, we call that dysbiosis.

Dysbiosis is when there is an imbalance between the good and bad microbiomes.

Most of us have been through a course of antibiotics throughout the course of our lives. Even babies lately are placed on heavy antibiotic treatments, rightfully so if needed.

These treatments however are done without necessarily replenishing the good bacteria, usually known as probiotics.

This is an essential step to improve your gut health and keep dysbiosis at bay. So, let's take a look at how to do this.

How to improve your gut microbiome:

We have what we call prebiotics and probiotics. Prebiotics are foods that are high in fibre and serve as food for all your good bacteria in the gut. Probiotics are your good bacteria and yeasts.

A diet rich in both prebiotics and probiotics improves the status of your gut microbiome. Hence, the status of your health. Otherwise, when in dire need, one can supplement with good quality pre- and probiotics. There are several great products on the market lately. Although a thorough investigation may be helpful in determining which ones you are lacking in, how much you have to take, and how often.

Foods that are considered prebiotics are the following:

Breast Milk

Garlic

Onions

Oats

Bananas

Apples

Flaxseed

Wheat bran

Tomatoes

Berries (I would consider our own local berries in this category)

Foods that are high in probiotics are the following:

Yoghurt

Kefir

Pickles

Hard Cheeses

Sour cream

Oshikundu

Omaere

Good gut health need not be a complex journey, but it is important to start sooner rather than later.

Your gut will thank you! The above lists are by no means exhaustive and I am keen to hear of any other types of pre or probiotics found locally you may know of. In that vein, please let me know which to add to the list and investigate further. After all, local is lekker!

* This article was compiled by Dr Penehafo Haitamba- Shindume, a trained naturopathic doctor with 10 years' experience in private practice. She is registered with the Allied Health Professions Council. She is a member of the Namibia Association of Naturopathy, Homeopathy and Phytotherapy as well as the South African Naturopathy Association.

Nigeria's Okonjo-Iweala to make history

BBC

Having survived the murky waters of politics in Nigeria, where her mother was kidnapped to send her a message, and rising to number two at the World Bank, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala should have no trouble dealing with international trade negotiators in her new job at the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

The 66-year-old is the first woman, and the first African, to occupy the position.

Despite recently taking out US citizenship, she revels in being Nigerian and is fiercely patriotic - flaunting her African identity in her African-print tailored outfits.

She told the BBC in 2012 that she had in fact adopted such attire as a working mother of four to do the school run, an easy answer for a smart look - and a thrifty one at that, given she estimated each outfit cost around US$25.

The Harvard-educated development economist is seen as a down-to-earth, hard worker, who told BBC HardTalk in July that what the WTO needed was a shake-up.

“They need something different; it cannot be business as usual for the WTO - [they need] someone willing to do the reforms and lead.”

During her 25 years at the World Bank, she is credited with spearheading several initiatives to assist low-income countries, in particular raising nearly US$50 billion in 2010 from donors for the International Development Association (IDA), the World Bank's fund for the poorest countries.

Bad news for same-sex coupleHigh Court dismisses lawsuit A same-sex couple who married in South Africa lost a lawsuit against the home affairs ministry last week.

JANA-MARI SMITH

WINDHOEK

A Windhoek High Court judge last Friday handed down a defeat to a foreigner married to a Namibian citizen who wanted to be granted legal residency status after having lived and worked in Namibia for 10 years with his husband and partner of more than a decade.

In January 2020, Eduardo Guillermo Delgado Castañeda sued home affairs and immigration after he was kicked out of Namibia when a border official discovered he was in a same-sex marriage with Namibian Phillip Lühl.

Castañeda and Lühl have lived in Namibia since 2011 and were married in South Africa in 2014.

They have a son, Yona, together, born by surrogacy.

During the court application, Castañeda argued that after working in Namibia for 10 years on a valid work permit and acquiring an identity certificate, he qualified for residency.

And, while he acknowledged that same-sex marriage is not recognised in Namibia, he said his long-term partnership and marriage of seven years should be relevant to his application.

Human rights advocate and lawyer Norman Tjombe yesterday explained that for foreigners married to Namibians of the opposite gender, domicile is automatically obtained.

But for couples wed legally in countries where same-sex marriages are recognised, the hurdles faced when relocating to Namibia are numerous and difficult, as evidenced by several cases currently before the High Court.

Different laws for different people

On Friday, High Court Judge Thomas Masuku dismissed the application by Castañeda for the court to set aside the decision by immigration and home affairs to reject a renewal or extension of his identity certificate.

Masuku also dismissed the application that the court declare Castañeda as domiciled in Namibia.

He ordered Castañeda to pay the costs of the application.

Masuku only briefly touched on the issue of marriage.

“There are not allegations made for the court to declare the country's approach to same-sex marriages unconstitutional,” he ruled.

On the issue of domicile, Masuku relied on a Supreme Court judgment – minister of home affairs and immigration versus Prollius - which dealt with obtaining domicile in the country as a foreigner living and working in Namibia.

He underlined that that case, which is binding, established that foreigners do not automatically qualify for domicile when they have lived and worked in Namibia for a long time on the basis of an employment permit or other provisional permits.

He further ruled that the certificate of identity which had been issued and not extended after it lapsed also did not mean he was domiciled.

Namibia's marriage laws have come under increasing scrutiny in recent years, with several cases before the High Court challenging the lack of recognition of these marriages.

In July 2019, three Namibians who tied the knot with their same-sex partners in countries where gender is not a barrier to marriage, and who want their marriages legally recognised in Namibia, were asked to consider joining their cases.

At the time, Judge President Petrus Damaseb gave instructions for all three pending cases to be consolidated and heard simultaneously by a full bench of three judges, should the applicants agree, to deal with the legality of same-sex marriages.

All three couples have documented numerous setbacks in their attempts to move to Namibia with their Namibian-born spouses, including discrimination at the hands of immigration officials.

Later that year, one of the couples withdrew their lawsuit after permanent residence was approved in late July 2019.

The other two cases continue, with a hearing scheduled for April.