Namibian star journo. @AP correspondent @the_ccij member @Pulitzercenter grantee. Multi-award winning journalist. MA Candiate (SU). 🇺🇸 2025 WPI fellow.
Namibia
Joined January 2012
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I'm happy to announce that this year, I'll be representing Namibia (Southern Africa) in the World Press Institute fellowship. I'm part of the 2025 cohort of 9 global fellows who'd be engaging with a wide spectrum of media organizations and public institutions.
🚨 Announcing the 2025 WPI Fellows!
9 journalists. 9 countries. 9 weeks in the US this fall.
From coast to coast, they’ll explore AI in newsrooms, media trust, and press freedom—at a critical moment for international journalism.
🌍 Meet them: worldpressinstitute.org/fell…
Sonja Smith retweeted
Thanx a MILLION: Our podcast #UnpopularOpinion has reached its first ONE MILLION views in just four months and thanx a MILLION to everyone who has been supporting us, encouraging us and blessing us with their constructive comments as well as ideas.
You too can follow us and please remember to SUBSCRIBE it’s free m.youtube.com/@UP_TheUnpopul…
Well deserved❤️
N$200 000 REWARD: President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has officially conferred a hero status on 16-year-old Kornelius Tulotokela Shimuafeni for his courageous rescue of nine-month-old twins who had been thrown into a pond.
Shimuafeni, a grade 7 learner from Omutundungu village in the Etayi Constituency, rushed into the pond on 16 May 2026 and saved the drowning babies, Victoria Kaleinasho Shikulo and Vilho Mandume Shikulo. The children were allegedly thrown into the water by their mother, who was subsequently arrested.
In recognition of his bravery and selfless act, Shimuafeni was also awarded N$200 000.
Video: Nikanor Nangolo
Sonja Smith retweeted
Industries, Mines and Energy Minister Modestus Amutse says the country cannot simply demand majority ownership of mining and petroleum projects without considering the realities facing investors risking billions of dollars. namibiansun.com/local-news/n…
Sonja Smith retweeted
Incoming ACC boss says corruption must be viewed first and foremost as a service delivery crisis. namibiansun.com/crime/eiseb-…
Sonja Smith retweeted
Namibians could pay around N$1 882 for a one-way flight between Windhoek and Johannesburg and N$1 939 to Cape Town, before taxes, if government's planned national airline takes off as envisioned. namibiansun.com/local-news/n…
Sonja Smith retweeted
The Namibia Training Authority (NTA) has engaged private service providers to help distribute food to government school hostels, prompting questions about how the end contractors were chosen. namibiansun.com/local-news/p…
Sonja Smith retweeted
Works and Transport Minister Veikko Nekundi has rejected former National Assembly Speaker Professor Peter Katjavivi's application to purchase a government-owned house in Swakopmund, ruling that he does not qualify under the state's property alienation policy. namibiansun.com/local-news/n…
Sonja Smith retweeted
RECOGNISED: Journalists Mariud Ngula and Nikanor Nangolo of Network Media Hub (NMH) publications Namibian Sun, Republikein and Allgemeine Zeitung were named joint winners of the MTC-sponsored Sport Journalist of the Year award at this year's Editors' Forum of Namibia (EFN) Annual Journalism Awards, held at the Hilton Hotel in Windhoek on Friday.
Their colleague, Sonja Smith, also brought home top honours, winning the B2Gold-sponsored Extractive Industries and Energy Journalism Award for her story ‘Deals, Dollars, & Dirty Oil - Unpacking Namcor’s corruption saga’.
The ceremony recognised excellence across a further eight journalism categories, with awards sponsored by Kadhila Amoomo Legal Practitioners, Old Mutual, the Bank of Namibia and the Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN).
FNB Namibia, a longstanding partner of the EFN, served as the event's main sponsor, contributing N$250,000 towards the awards.
UPDATE: TUYEIMO HAUFIKU
Sonja Smith retweeted
“They are selling at the basic fuel price…
On The Agenda tonight, mines and energy minister Modestus Amutse explains how Vitol was chosen as the country’s sole importer of fuel until September, among other topics.
Watch him at 20:00 on NTV (Dstv channel 285, GOtv channel 25) or at 19:00 on the Network Media Hub.
Sonja Smith retweeted
VITAL ROLE … Editors' Forum of Namibia chairperson Toivo Ndjebela highlighted the importance of journalists' work in modern newsrooms, and that they go the extra mile to ensure the public receives accurate and relevant news through various platforms, at the 2026 Namibian journalism awards in Windhoek on Friday.
Video: Vistorina Malapi
Sonja Smith retweeted
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has cleared senior executives of the Namibia Institute of Pathology (NIP) of criminal wrongdoing over a controversial N$5.3 million executive vehicle scheme, saying it found no evidence warranting prosecution. namibiansun.com/local-news/a…
Sonja Smith retweeted
British-born businessman Harvey Boulter says his extensive investments and business interests in Namibia – said to be worth about N$150 million - demonstrate that he has no intention of fleeing the country as he considers asking the court to amend his bail conditions to allow limited international business travel while awaiting trial on a murder charge. namibiansun.com/local-news/b…
Sonja Smith retweeted
Four years after allegations of collusion and irregularities rocked a N$388 million government food supply tender, three companies linked to the Nekomba brothers have been barred from participating in public procurement for the next five years. namibiansun.com/local-news/b…
Sonja Smith retweeted
JUST IN: Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare has appointed an 11-member task force to undertake a sweeping review of Namibia's public enterprises, with a particular focus on salary structures, board remuneration and executive recruitment.
In a statement issued on Friday, the Office of the Prime Minister said the task force will serve for three months, from 1 July to 30 September 2026, to assist the Cabinet Committee on Public Service (CCPS), which has been tasked with reviewing salary structures across public enterprises.
The task force will be chaired by Professor Joseph Diescho (photo), with former education minister Dr Itha Kandjii-Murangi serving as vice-chairperson.
Other members are Dr Rev. Tshapaka Kapolo, Dr Conrad Lutombi, Fluksman Samuehl, Commissioner Habatte L. Doeses, Tangeni Amupadhi, Aletha Frederick, Aino Mariane Mukwiilongo, Tanja Jacobie and Mathew //Gowaseb.
According to the Office of the Prime Minister', the body has been mandated to conduct a comprehensive review of governance and human resource issues affecting public enterprises.
Among its key responsibilities are reviewing salary structures across state-owned enterprises, recommending remuneration frameworks for board members and board committees, and assessing existing recruitment policies governing the appointment of chief executive officers.
