| 1996 |
Great improvements are made since
independence in rationalising the education system, increasing access, and improving the
quality and relevance of education. From 1990 to 1996, the Government devoted between 20%
and 28% of its annual budget to education. This had its results over 100 schools that have
been built since 1991, and the increase of teachers from about 12 800 in 1991 to 16 000 in
1995.
With 107 500 tons per annum, an exceptionally good mahangu harvest is experienced during
the 1995/1996 rainy season (average annual output 49 000 tons). In order to promote
the production and marketing of mahangu in the north-central regions, the Ministry of
Agriculture creates the Mahangu Marketing Intelligence Unit (MMIU) which is managed by the
Namibian Agronomic Board.
The copper mine at Tsumeb closes after the mineral deposits have been exhausted.
While the vast majority of Namibia’s import trade is still with South Africa, the
United Kingdom is Namibia’s most important export destination, receiving 40 percent
of Namibia’s total exports. As far as trade within the Southern African Development
Community (SADC) is concerned, Namibia itself makes up only nine percent of intra-SADC
trade. |
| 08.01. |
In order to mediate in the Angola
civil war, Namibia sends 200 troops to this war torn country. This happens in terms of the
United Nations Angolan Verification Mission (UNAVEM III) and the Border Security Agreement
of 1990. |
| 15.01. |
Eberhard Hofmann becomes editor of
the Allgemeine Zeitung. |
| 29.01. |
Deputy Minister for Works,
Transport and Communication, Klaus Dierks, announces that now, nearly two years after the
re-integration of the Walvis Bay Enclave, Namibia (Namibia Port Authority (NamPort)) and
South Africa (SA port company Portnet) agreed to take over the port infrastructure for N$
30 million. Dierks also makes known that the planning study financed by the German
Government (Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW)), to develop the Port of Walvis
Bay into a major transport player along the African west coast and and as a end point of
the Walvis Bay Corridor to South Africa, makes good progress.
An agreement is signed between the Government (Klaus Dierks) and the German Carl Duisberg
Foundation (CDG) to train 18 Namibians to operate the country’s Air Traffic Control
and Surveillance Radar System at the German Academy of Air Navigation Services in Langen
near Frankfurt. |
| 30.01. |
Namibia invites for the second time
the UNITA leader Jonas Savimbi to Namibia. However, Savimbi again declines the invitation. |
| February |
Influenced by a book of the German
Reverend, Siegfried Groth (Namibia: The Wall of Silence), the Council of Churches in
Namibia (CCN) calls for a conference on the mastering of the history of the "SWAPO
detainees".The CCN is supported by the National Society for Human Rights (NSFHR) and
a new political pressure group "Breaking the Wall of Silence". |
| 06.02. |
The Ministry of Works, Transport
and Communication uses a competition to decide on a contract for the new National Archives
in Windhoek. Dierks chairs the architecture competition for the new building. The Namibian
architect, Hugo Scheepers, wins the competition. |
| 15.02. |
Although the boundary around the
Kasikili Island remains a point of conflict between Namibia and Botswana, the two
countries sign an agreement to refer the case to the International Court of Justice (ICJ)
at the Hague. |
| 21.02. |
The Minister for Finance, Helmut
Angula, tables the Budget for the Financial Year 1996/97. The main objective of the
1996/97 budget is a realistic estimation of the budget opportunities within the socio
economic limits of Namibia. The budget concentrates on the First National Development Plan
(NDP1) which has as its aim the alleviation of poverty, the promotion of economic growth
and the creation of job opportunities, setting a target of reducing the percentages of
relatively poor households from 47% to 40% and extremely poor households from 13% to 7% by
the year 2000. The real growth estimate of 5% must be regarded as too optimistic.
Namibia’s economy is still highly dependent on the mining, agricultural and fishery
sectors which are heavily influenced by external factors like climatic conditions and
world market prices. Another handicap is the size of the public sector. The budget makes
provision for an expenditure of N$ 5 073 million, an increase of 17% against
1995/96 which is more than the inflation rate of 10% for the year (37,5% of the GDP). In
spite of the calls by the Minister of Finance to reduce the civil service, the number of
officials again increases with 1 280 persons (1,9%) to a total number of 70 192 civil
servants. The two sectors education and health still receive more than 40% of the total
expenditure. The expected deficit is estimated with 4% of the GDP. The total debt of 23%
of the GDP has still manageable proportions. It once more will be covered on the domestic
capital market. The capital budget is not sufficient to stimulate
the economy with state funded projects in the productive sectors of the country. |
| 25.02. |
The ever increasing tendency of
high ranked officials to enrich themselves is continuing. A typical example is the
approval by the Permanent Secretary of Works, Transport and Communication, Peingeondjabi
Shipoh and the Undersecretary for Works, Farah Nadimi, to allocate public funds to pay for
lessons to obtain a private driving license for the Deputy Director of Works, Rosalinde
Nakale. |
| March |
Namibia is visited by the Prime
Minister of Singapore, Goh Chok Tong, and the USA Vice President, Albert Gore. |
| 06.03. |
President Nujoma cautions that a
CCN-conference on the mastering of the history of the "SWAPO detainees" would
endanger the Policy of National Reconciliation which is not a "one way road" and
the prevailing peace and stability in the country. In the thirty years long liberation war
atrocities were pledged on both sides and many innocent people landed below the
"wheels of history". This sentiment is echoed by Nujoma’s speech at the
occasion of the independence celebrations (21.03.) where he indirectly asks apology to any
innocent victims who suffered under the hands of SWAPO. Here it has to be observed that
until the present point of time it is not known who spied for South Africa and who
didn’t. The South African Secret Service was before 1994 one of the most efficient
secret services in the world, and everything was tried to penetrate the ranks and files of
the "arch enemy SWAPO". Nujoma’s plea influences the CCN to withdraw from
the planned conference on "Breaking the Wall of Silence". |
| 07./08.03. |
President Sam Nujoma visits Angola. |
| 14.03. |
The Deputy Minister for Works,
Transport and Communication, Klaus Dierks, halts a Russian-registered Antonov-12 aircraft
which is connected to Ters Ehlers, the last private secretary of former South African
Prime Minister, PW Botha. The Namibian authorities ground the aircraft at Grootfontein
airport because it is alleged that it transports illegal cargo to war torn Angola without
any license from the Namibian Government. Ehlers was introduced to Dierks by the
Auditor-General, Fanuel Tjingaete, and the Member of the National Assembly, Moses
Katjiuongua. Both pretend that Ehlers intends to bring humanitarian aid to Angola. This
later is found to be untrue.
Dierks announces that the construction of the proposed Government Office Park in Windhoek
will start during June. He assures the National Assembly that the tender adjudication
process will be open, transparent and clean. The building of the 250 million complex is
based on economic considerations which will ensure that Government rather should invest in
her own property before paying ever escalating office rentals for the various ministries. |
| 20.03. |
The completion of the Trans
Kalahari Highway has fallen behind schedule by more than a year as a result of
Botswana’s bureaucratic bungling and inadequacy of funds. Dierks declares that the
new estimated date of completion stands now at February 1998. The Namibian section is,
however, 95% completed. |
| 29.03. |
The overdue Married Persons
Equality Bill which regulates the rights and duties in a marriage and eliminates the
gender bias against women, is not accepted by the National Council and referred back to
the National Assembly which, however, passes the Bill on 03.04. |
| 30.03. |
The National Society for Human
Rights (NSFHR) and the pressure group "Breaking the Wall of Silence" organise
the conference on the mastering of the history of the "SWAPO detainees" which
takes place without any problems in a Windhoek Hotel. During the conference Siegfried
Groth’s book (Namibia: The Wall of Silence) is launched. |
| End March |
Cabinet announces that traditional
group leaders have to decide whether they prefer to remain political office bearers or to
exercise their traditional role as chiefs. |
| April |
The Government accepts the
proposals by the Wage and Salary Commission (WASCOM). The salaries of Members of
Parliament are more than doubled and those of higher civil servants increased by up to
66%.
UNICEF makes known in a report that nearly 50% of the Namibian population has to be
regarded as poor or very poor. |
| 03.04. |
President Nujoma makes known his
first cabinet re-shuffle during his second term. The Minister and Deputy Minister for
Youth and Sport, Pendukeni Iivula Ithana and Martin Kapewasha are moved to the Ministry of
Land, Resettlement and Rehabilitation. Minister Richard Kapelwa-Kabajani and Deputy
Minister Timothy Hadino Hishongwa take over the Ministry of Youth and Sport. |
| 24./26.04. |
The Traditional Leaders Conference
which tries to regulate the relationship between Government and the role of traditional
group leaders, takes place in Windhoek. |
| 29.04. |
TransNamib’s Managing
Director, Francois Uys, is dismissed by the Board of Directors. The Permanent Secretary of
the Ministry of Works, Transport and Communication, Peingeondjabi Shipoh, becomes his
successor. The National Organiser of the Namibian Transport and Allied Workers Union
(NATAU), A Onesmus, supports the demise of Uys. |
| 07.05. |
The Powers, Privileges and
Immunities Bill is passed by the two houses of Parliament.
The Cabinet takes a decision to approve the draft terms of reference for a study to
prepare the Development Aid Management and Co-ordination Policy for Namibia, covered by
funds from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). This is
necessitated by the fact that an appropriate donor aid policy is necessary to ensure
efficient and effective aid coordination and management. |
| 09.05. |
Parliament promulgates the Export
Processing Zone (EPZ) Amendment Bill. This Bill improves the investment climate in the EPZ
by introducing limitations in the constitutional right to strike. The share capital of the
Offshore Development Company (ODC) increases from N$ 2 million to N$ 20 million during the
year. Fourteen companies get EPZ status, six should commence with production until the end
of the year. |
| 15./16.05. |
President Sam Nujoma visits South
Africa. He signs with SA President Nelson Mandela an Agreement on the Nullification of
Colonial Debts. |
| 18./20.05. |
The President of the People’s
Republic of China, Jiang Zemin, visits Namibia. |
| 25.05. |
Hompa Frans Haingura
Muronga becomes traditional leader in the Mbunza area in Kapako in the Kavango. |
| June |
Damara Chief Justus 5Garoëb from the UDF decides to
relinquish his position as Member of the National Assembly and returns to his traditional
role as group leader in Okombahe.
The Minister for Regional and Local Government and Housing , Libertine Amathila, is
accused to be involved in the loss of N$ 5 million incurred by the state owned National
Housing Enterprise (NHE). |
| 21./26.06. |
Sam Nujoma visits with a big
Namibian delegation the Federal Republic of Germany, followed by an official visit to
France. |
| 28.06. |
President Nujoma participates at
the summit of Heads of State of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) in
Botswana. |
| Middle of the year |
The United Nations UNDP announces
in their Human Development Report the extreme income imbalances between different groups
in Namibia. While the average per capita income ranks Namibia on place 79 out of 174
countries, the Human Development Index only brings Namibia on place 116. |
| 07./08.07. |
Sam Nujoma takes part at the summit
of the African Development Bank (ADB) in Gabon from where he travels to Cameroon to be
part of the OAU summit (08./09.07.). |
| 27.07./01.08. |
Nujoma visits Malaysia. |
| 02.08. |
In order to put the continent of
Africa on the map of the global development of the information and telecommunications
sectors a new all-African initiative is established. For this purpose Telecom Africa
International Corporation is established by its president, Joseph O Okpaku. The Deputy
Minister for Works, Transport and Communication, Klaus Dierks, is one of the founding
members of the company. The ambitious project is supported by the Organisation for African
Unity (OAU), the United Nations UNDP and the USA Government. In the White House in
Washington an agreement to support Telecom Africa International Corporation is signed by
the Director of the USA National Security Council, McArthur De Shazer and Dierks. The
objective of the initiative is to manufacture Information and Telecommunications equipment
in Africa, to standardise telecommunication norms and to increase the speed to spread
telecommunication systems to the continent. Telecom Africa has to serve as the development
engine of this scheme. |
| 03.08. |
The Otjikaoko Traditional Authority
elects a new leader, Ombara Paulus U Tjavara, followed by the Vita Royal House
which appoints Ombara Kapuka John Thom as its traditional leader (29.08.). |
| 10.08. |
The site inspection for the road
rehabilitation project between Otavi and Otjiwarongo takes place. The Deputy Minister for
Works, Transport and Communication, Klaus Dierks, played a key role in the realisation of
the project. |
| 19.08. |
After the death of Subiya Chief M
Moraliswani, Munitenge (traditional Subiya title) Maiba Kisco Liswani III, becomes
the new traditional leader of the Masubia Traditional Authority at Bukalo. |
| 21./22.08. |
Tanzania’s President, Benjamin
Mpaka, visits Namibia. |
| 22.08. |
The Deputy Minister for Works,
Transport and Communication, Klaus Dierks, announces that he had agreed with the European
Union (EU) that the EU will finance the expansion of the two ports of Walvis Bay and
Lüderitz to the tune of N$ 120 million. |
| 22.08./08.10. |
A prolonged strike (45 days) takes
place at the Tsumeb Corporation Limited (TCL). This strike is the longest and most
difficult one since independence. It is not only caused by wage demands and other
grievances of the mine workers but also by the harsh and uncompromising attitude of the
TCL management. The Government intervenes on 08.10. A compromised wage increase of 10,5%
is achieved. The strike causes losses to the company of N$ one million per day. 500
workers lose their work. At the end this strike leads to the bankruptcy of TCL and the
closing of the TCL mines and smelter in 1998. |
| 23./24.08. |
President Nujoma participates at
the summit of heads of state of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) in
Lesotho. |
| 26.08. |
The thirtieth anniversary of the
Battle of Omugulu-gOmbashe is celebrated at the site where SWAPO commenced the armed
struggle against South Africa. At this occasion President Nujoma presents a list of all
victims in the war for the liberation of Namibia. The celebrations at the remote place in
the western part of the Omusati Region is witnessed by members of the Namibian Cabinet,
the two houses of Parliament, hundreds of foreign dignitaries and thousand of Namibians.
Due to the fact that no road to the battlefield is existing, the Deputy Minister for
Works, Transport and Communication, Klaus Dierks, gives order to construct such a road,
although no proclamation for such a road is in existence (some weeks later the road is
proclaimed as district road 3633 from Tsandi to Omugulu-gOmbashe (21,6 km)). The
opposition silently condones the illegal instruction of the Deputy Minister, he is only
criticised by the Prime Minister, Hage Gottfried Geingob. |
| 02./04.09. |
The Prime Minister, Geingob, visits
Angola. |
| 10.09. |
Jeremiah Jagger is sworn in as the
Chief of the Orlam Afrikaner (|Hoa/Aran/|Aixa Haes) in Windhoek. |
| 12.09. |
President Nujoma announces his
second cabinet re-shuffle during his second term. He exchanges the Minister of Finance,
Helmut Angula, with his counterpart from the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Rural
Development, Nangolo Mbumba. The Minister for Health and Social Services, Nicky Iyambo,
becomes the new Minister for Regional and Local Government and Housing and exchanges the
portfolio with Libertine Amathila. The Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, Netumbo Nandi
Ndaitwah, becomes Director General for Women Affairs (in the rang of a Minister) within
the organisation of State House. Caused by the recent death of the Ombudsman, Jariretundu
Kozonguizi, Nujoma makes known the filling of the vacant position by Ephraim Kasuto. This
unconstitutional move has later (18.12.1996) to be rectified because the position of the
Ombudsman is to be filled after a proper selection process by the Judicial Service
Commission. |
| 15./16.09. |
President Sam Nujoma attends the
World Solar Conference in Harare. |
| 17.09. |
Loide Kasingo becomes the new
Deputy Minister for Regional and Local Government and Housing and replaces Ben Ulenga who
becomes the Namibian High Commissioner in London. |
| 27.09. |
The case before the Windhoek High
Court arising from the publication of an advertisement in the Windhoek Observer
(17.08.1994) in which the seventh anniversary of Rudolf Hess’ death on 17.08.1987 was
glorified, is heard by Theo Frank. Frank gives judgment that the Racial Discrimination
Prohibition Act (Act No 26 of 1991), on which the charge was based, is in conflict with
Namibia’s Constitution (Right of Free Expression). Many Namibians are dissatisfied
with the outcome but the "Hess-Case" has one result: No such publication has
been published any more to date (February 2003). |
| 30.09. |
The Minister for Foreign Affairs,
Theo-Ben Gurirab, appeals to the UN General Assembly to provide Namibia the permanent
status of a Least Developed Country (LDC), due to the extreme inequalities between
different income groups. The General Assembly grants Namibia in UNGA Resolution 48/204 for
a further three years the status of a "as if" LCD country.
A common tool to measure these inequalities is the Gini-coefficient which goes from 0
(complete equality) to 1 (complete inequality). Countries with a Gini-coefficient of
between 0,2 and 0,35 are regarded to have a relative equal income distribution. The
Namibian Central Statistics Office calculates for 1996 a Gini-coefficient of 0,701 which
indicates a highly skewed income distribution. |
| 01.10. |
President Sam Nujoma visits Angola.
News appear in the local newspapers that the Government without tender approval has placed
an order for Chevrolet cars and commercial vehicles in the sum of N$ 142 million with
General Motors in the USA (Barden International). The Ministry for Works, Transport and
Communication is not involved in the purchase. The Minister, Plichta, and the Deputy
Minister, Dierks, were not even informed about this. |
| 10.10. |
Klaus Dierks makes known that the
tender for the proposed Government Office Park in Windhoek has been allocated to Stocks
& Stocks Namibia for a tender sum of N$ 235 million which is N$ 91 million lower than
the next cheapest tender, although Stocks’ technical design is not considered to be
the best. |
| 13.10. |
Dierks announces that the German
Government through the development bank Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW) has
for the first time ever in a developing country made N$ 30 million in the form of a grant
available to construct four district roads in the Oshikoto and Oshana regions. The
negotiations for this grant started shortly after the Namibian independence. This was a
difficult task because some German senior officials were originally against the idea, as
infrastructural projects like roads in developing countries are normally assisted in the
form of soft loans with low interest rates, which have to be paid back over a certain
period. However, Dierks convinced the German Minister of Economic Co-operation and
Development Aid, Karl-Dieter Spranger, to give this grant due to the social character of
these roads. The roads will be built by labour-based means in an effort to alleviate the
unemployment situation in Namibia’s north. Informal road contractors will also be
trained during the construction phase and the workers will be recruited from the area and
paid on a task-work basis, in other words, for the actual piece of work completed. The
four roads are the roads from Onethindi to Oshigambo, from Oluno to Uukwiyu, from Oshakati
to Ompundja and from Onethindi to Olukonda. 
District Road 3605: End of Seal (Oluno) to Uukwiyu: View to the
North-East
Copyright of Photo: Dr. Klaus Dierks
   
 
District Road 3636: From Main Road 92 (Northwest of Ondangwa) to End
(Onakamwandi): Labour-based Construction: Task Work: 4 m³ per Task for approx. US$ 2,20
per Task: Up to 4 Tasks can be managed by some People: Labour-based Road Building was
introduced in Namibia, against the Resistance of many conservative, South Africa trained
Engineers, by the Author of this Chronology at Independence: After many Years of Research
and many Trials, Namibia is now a Leader in Labour-based Technology in Africa: Project
financed by German Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau
Copyright of Photos: M Engelien |
| Middle October |
Namibia plays host to a summit
meeting of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the European Union (EU).
The German Minister of Foreign Affairs, Klaus Kinkel, assures that a planned Free Trade
Agreement between the EU and South Africa will not violate the interest of the SADC
countries. |
| 15.10. |
An Agreement on the Withdrawal of
Water from the Okavango River is signed between Namibia and Botswana. No such withdrawal
may take place without prior consultation. |
| 21./26.10. |
Sam Nujoma visits the People’s
Republic of China followed by official visits to Japan (27. to 30.10.) and Singapore (01.
to 04.11.). |
| 13./16.11. |
President Nujoma takes part in the
World Conference of the UN Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) in Rome. Nujoma
appeals to the United Nations, to provide Namibia the permanent status of a Least
Developed Country (LDC), due to the extreme income inequalities between different
population groups. |
| 20.11. |
Due to the drought conditions in
the country the new Minister for Finance, Nangolo Mbumba, tables an Additional Budget for
the Financial Year 1996/97. The drought requires an additional expenditure of N$ 150
million. The Namibian Economic Policy Research Unit (NEPRU) is tasked to overview the
distribution of drought relief subventions to the affected population groups. The
Additional Budget 1996/97 requires also an additional expenditure of N$ 100 million for
salaries for civil servants according to the proposals of the Wage and Salary Commission
(WASCOM). Another N$ 65 million are required due to the weakening Namibia Dollar against
hard currencies. With the revised budget the expected deficit is increasing from 4% to
4,9% of the GDP. |
| 26.11. |
The Deputy Minister for Works,
Transport and Communication, Klaus Dierks, warns that on top of the growing need for road
development and routine maintenance, due to decades of fiscal constraints and resulting
neglect of the bitumen network, Namibian road users are now faced with the alternative: to
either foot the bill for major road rehabilitation projects or face the prospects of
losing a portion of Namibia’s excellent black top roads network. The only remedy to
this situation is to create an economically and technically optimised road maintenance
management system based on extensive research. To this effect the Ministry for Works,
Transport and Communication has initiated a research joint venture between the Ministry
and the German Technical University Berlin (Siegfried Huschek), funded by the Carl
Duisberg Foundation (CDG) in Cologne. |
| End November |
Ignatius Shixwameni becomes the new
Deputy Minister for Information and Broadcasting. |
| Beginning December |
Sam Nujoma attacks homosexuals
during his speech at the occasion of the Congress of the SWAPO Women’s Council. While
his remarks are condemned in the western world, the majority of Namibians support the
President. |
| 04.12. |
The controversial agreement to
purchase some 800 vehicles from General Motors in the USA (Barden International) is signed
between the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Theo-Ben Gurirab and Don H Barden from Detroit,
Michigan, in the USA. |
| 13.12. |
Windhoek’s Mayor, Matthew
Shikongo, announces that it was agreed to form a city partnership between the two capitals
Berlin and Windhoek. The Secretary of State, Volker Kähne and the Deputy Minister for
Works, Transport and Communication, Klaus Dierks, are instrumental in the establishment of
this historic partnership. |
| 18.12. |
The Judicial Service Commission
appoints Bience Gawanas as Ombudswoman.. Simultaneously the government announces the
assignment of Tom Alweendo as Governor of the Bank of Namibia, the first Namibian in this
position. He becomes successor of a Malaysian national, Jaafar Ahmad. |
