The Covid-19 Armageddon

JEMIMA BEUKES WINDHOEKThe year 2021 will undoubtedly go down in history as one of the worst ever, and for many families who lost loved ones as the third wave of Covid-19 raged, this year came right out of the pits of hell. But all was not doom and gloom as Namibia finally clinched her first Olympic medal since 1996 when teenager Christina Mboma kicked dust into the eyes of experienced athletes in Tokyo. Then there was the parliament scuffle that saw Landless People’s Movement deputy leader Henny Seibeb dragged out of Parliament as well as slapped by a female MP. Namibian Sun’s 2021 timeline gives you a glimpse into one hell of a year.January7 January: Former defence minister Peter Vilho ducks questions about a questionable N$200 million payment from the ministry to its company August 26.26 January: In an affidavit, leading lawyer Sisa Namandje told the ACC that he did not know of Fishcor’s N$15 million until December 2019, after the Fishrot scandal had come to the fore.28 January: Former attorney-general Sacky Shanghala, who is in jail awaiting trial for the Fishrot bribery scandal, has demanded that the State pay his legal costs on the basis that he was acting in his official capacity.February3 February: Businesswoman Ally Angula was dragged to court over N$800 000 she owed her friend, First Lady Monica Geingos.11 February: Cabinet approves Air Namibia’s liquidation to ensure the airline does not fall in the hands of Belgium’s Challenge Air. 11 February: Nudo president Utjiua Muinjangue says she is aware of a plot to unseat her, claiming it was because she is a woman. March3 March: The prosecutor-general Martha Imalwa has seized assets belonging to the Fishrot accused, including former justice minister Shanghala’s engagement ring. 3 March: “Ek sal jou moer [I will beat you up]. Let’s go outside. You don’t know me,” Landless People’s Movement’s Henny Seibeb challenges environment minister Pohamba Shifeta to fist fight outside chambers. 19 March: Namibia’s kicks off its Covid-19 vaccination campaign. April1 April: President Hage Geingob summoned defence minister Vilho to explain his undeclared bank account in Hong Kong.9 April: Embattled former defence minister Vilho steps down after being relieved of his duties for alleged corrupt activities.15 April: The National Assembly broke into pandemonium during President Geingob’s State of the Nation Address, during which the presidential head of security Johan Ndjaronguru manhandled and carried LPM’s Seibeb from the chambers. May18 May: Two managers from NIPDB travelled to Dubai only to attend virtual meetings from their hotel rooms.24 May: LPM leader Bernadus Swartbooi said there appears to be a well-coordinated agenda to paint his party as tribalist.28 May: Germany officially recognises the Nama and Ovaherero genocide and offers to pay financial aid worth N$18.4 billion. June2 June: State hospitals ran out of oxygen supplies14 June: Swapo co-founder Mburuma Kerina succumbs to Covid-19.16 June: Nam surpasses India as Covid infections soar18 June: Ovaherero Traditional Authority paramount chief Vekkui Rukoro succumbs to Covid-19.24 June – Namibia runs out Covid-19 vaccine doses. July5 July: The OTA overturned the planned burial of the late Kerina at the Ovaherero Burial Shrine, arguing that the site is reserved for paramount chiefs.21 July: The Supreme Court heard the case in which LPM’s Swartbooi and Seibeb challenged their suspension from the National Assembly.August3 August: Christine Mboma scooped silverware at the 2021 Toyo Olympics, Namibia’s first Olympic medal since 1996.4 August: Supreme Court returns Swartbooi and Seibeb to parliament17 August: Former Cabinet minister and veteran Swapo politician Kazenambo Kazenambo died.31 August: Runaway chairperson of the land-grabbing Namibian Land Occupancy Movement Kennedy Kandjii said he wants to grab land in Europe and Dubai.22 August: Chanique Rabe crowned Miss Supranational 2021 September2 September: Nama chiefs decline caucus meetings with a Swapo delegation assigned to sell Germany’s controversial reparation package to communities.3 September: Disgraced former fisheries minister Bernhardt Esau and his wife Swamma resisted an attempt by PG Imalwa to seize his nearly N$2 million worth of pension pay-outs.23 September: FNB Namibia pulled the plug on clients with links to Fishrot.October4 October: LPM’s Seibeb laid an assault charge against Swapo parliamentarian and deputy finance minister Maureen Hinda for allegedly slapping him in parliament. 11 October: President Geingob summons higher education minister Itah Kandjii-Murangi to explain allegations implicating her in the dishing out of scholarships to Malaysian university Limkokwing. 13 October: High Court declares surrogate child of same-sex couple a Namibian citizen.November8 November: Fishrot accused Shanghala asks for bail, claiming he has asthma. 10 November: All People’s Party president Ignatius Shixwameni died after collapsing at the parliament building. 11 November: South Africa's last white president, FW de Klerk, died.27 November: Namibia Pride Week kicks off in Windhoek.December16 December: Fishrot accused Ricardo Gustavo pays N$800 000 bail in cash and goes home.14 December: Factions within OTA at loggerheads over Mutjinde Katjiua’s appointment as paramount chief designate.15 December: Stinkwater community tried to hunt down the alleged rapist and murderer of Lydia !Khariseb.

The Covid-19 Armageddon

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Namibian Sun 2025-06-17

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The Covid-19 Armageddon

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Namibian Sun 2025-06-17

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