Desert FM 95.3

Body of Christ Party president and National Assembly member Festus Thomas discusses urgent policing and health service challenges faced by residents in the Havana extensions 8, 9, 10 and 11 areas of Windhoek.

He highlights how residents must travel over rough terrain, cross rivers and climb mountains to access basic services, and calls on the Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security to deploy mobile police units and establish local facilities to safeguard the community.

Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) president McHenry Venaani discusses his proposal to direct 2% to 5% of mineral royalties to local communities through community trusts.

Venaani addresses the need for direct local benefits, value addition through legislation, overcoming administrative bottlenecks in monitoring mining activities, and curbing illicit financial outflows to ensure Namibia's natural resource wealth supports local development and job creation.

Official opposition leader and Independent Patriots for Change member of parliament Imms Nashinge addresses concerns surrounding the Government Institutions Pension Fund (GIPF) and an investment of N$815 million at risk due to an ongoing tax dispute in South Africa.

He discusses the need for greater transparency, stronger parliamentary oversight and accountability to protect public servants' pension savings and prevent repeating past financial losses.

Rinaani Musutua, coordinator and spokesperson for the Basic Income Grant Coalition of Namibia, discusses the Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare's decision to suspend new registrations for the conditional basic income grant due to depleted funding.

She addresses the inadequacy of the N$600 monthly amount against daily nutritional costs, criticises government priorities, and advocates for alternative funding strategies like taxing the rich and addressing illicit financial flows to support a universal basic income grant.

Desert FM 95.3, host Jane Kandetu speaks with Kunene governor Vipuakuje Muharukua regarding his proposal for local community empowerment through crowdfunding to develop mines in the region.

The discussion centres on ensuring residents move beyond traditional labour to secure meaningful share ownership and active participation in the region's mineral wealth, while balancing financial feasibility and accountability.

The Social Security Commission is considering lowering the qualifying age for its retirement benefit from 60 to 55, following requests from various stakeholders. Acting executive director Ben Nangombe says an actuarial evaluation and stakeholder consultations will help determine whether the proposal is financially sustainable..

South African investigative journalist and ICIJ Africa coordinator Micah Reddy shares his harrowing first-hand account of being arbitrarily detained and interrogated while blindfolded, handcuffed, and kept in solitary confinement by authorities in Djibouti.

He highlights the broader implications for press freedom, journalist safety and the risks reporters face when operating in repressive environments.

Member of parliament Vetaruhe Kandurozu discusses a proposed motion advocating for a N$600 monthly basic income grant for poor, marginalised, vulnerable and unemployed Namibians from birth until age 59.

He addresses critical concerns surrounding funding, the impact of high unemployment and inequality, and how regular financial support could empower citizens to start small businesses and improve national health and safety.

||Khomani community activist Sean Gariseb has rejected claims that the ongoing land dispute is a factional fight. He says the conflict is between the community and the traditional authority, with concerns over land allocation and the interests of landless community members.

Parents of more than 120 Namibia University of Science and Technology medical laboratory science students are calling for urgent intervention following their deregistration over a lack of work-integrated learning placements. Concerned parent Diinah Mbaeva says students should be allowed to continue their studies while authorities work on a lasting solution.