Desert FM 95.3

Anna Isack speaks on the realities faced by children on the autism spectrum in Namibia and the work needed to better support them.

As the world observes World AIDS Day, Namibia reflects on the remarkable journey of Emma Tuahepa, the first woman in the country to openly disclose her HIV-AIDS status in 1996, at just 22 years old. Now 50 and living at Rietfontein, she looks back on more than three decades of survival and resilience at a time when stigma was fierce and treatment limited.

Her story continues to highlight how far the country has come and why the fight against HIV-AIDS remains as important as ever.

Recent months have brought growing alarm over crimes involving taxis in Namibia. In Windhoek alone, a wave of taxi-related robberies and assaults reignited public fears, especially among women.

In response, a group of local digital technologists, including Abraham Mabuta, developed a new app, Tsotsi Taxi, designed to let passengers instantly verify a taxi's identity and flag suspicious taxis in real time. Desert FM speaks to Mabuta about why this tool is needed now and how it works.

Namibia’s media industry is entering a significant moment as Tangeni Amupadhi, editor and managing director of The Namibian, announces he will step down at the end of January 2026. After nearly 20 years at the publication and close to 15 years leading it, Amupadhi’s tenure has shaped journalism through economic pressures, the Covid-19 era, the rise of digital media and major investigations, including the landmark Fishrot exposé.

Under his leadership, The Namibian achieved record circulation, built a powerful digital presence and expanded into radio, broadcasting and cross-border investigative reporting. As this chapter closes, the industry reflects on his legacy and the path ahead.

The debate over the government payroll deduction management system continues after the High Court ordered that the system must continue operating while a broader review is still pending.

At the centre of the issue are deduction codes used for loan repayments, insurance premiums and other third-party deductions from government salaries. The finance ministry planned to discontinue parts of this system at the end of November but this move was challenged by microlenders like Entrépo Finance, and now paused by the court.

Major institutions have already announced they will stop receiving premium deductions from the government soon.

To help dissect this and what this means for public servants, Desert FM is joined by economist Salomo Hei.

This year’s regional council and local authority elections delivered shifts across the country. Independent candidates broke long-standing party control in parts of the Kavango regions, and women secured more leadership positions than in any previous election cycle. Some councillors, despite controversy, were re-elected, while Swapo regained key southern regions and strengthened its grip in the Erongo and Khomas regions. The question now is what these results mean for service delivery and coalition-building at the local level.

To help understand these outcomes, Desert FM speaks to political analyst Rakkel Andreas.

As the world marks World AIDS Day, Namibia reflects on two decades of major progress from high infection rates to some of the best viral suppression outcomes globally.

HIV-AIDS activist Bernard Kamatoto, diagnosed in 1999, shares his journey of resilience and advocacy, reminding the nation of how far it has come and the work that still lies ahead.

EU Ambassador to the African Union, Javier Niño Pérez, and EU Ambassador to Namibia, Ana Beatriz Martins, share insights on the outcomes of the 24–25 November AU-EU Summit in Luanda, highlighting enhanced trade, investment, climate action, peace, and social justice initiatives that promise tangible benefits for citizens across Africa and Europe.

Political analyst Johannes Sakaria examines Namibia’s recent local and regional elections, noting that poor voter turnout—exemplified by just 20.8% in Katutura East—reflects political fatigue, trust issues with the Electoral Commission, and voter dissatisfaction with party performance, while also exploring how recent administrative reforms may be influencing public confidence.

Social commentator Armando Pieters highlights how high unemployment, persistent poverty, and unfulfilled political promises contributed to low youth turnout in Namibia’s recent regional and local authority elections, calling for a more honest and impactful voter education approach by the Electoral Commission and community leaders.