Esegeel Kondombolo, a Windhoek resident, shared his 22-year struggle with gambling addiction, which led to neglecting his family and responsibilities, and losing two jobs. He realized the extent of his problem after engaging with social workers from the Ministry of Health and Social Services, acknowledging that gambling caused misunderstandings and a loss of trust within his family. Kondombolo emphasized that gambling often results in losses and can damage relationships. His testimony was part of a multi-stakeholder conversation on responsible gambling hosted by the Namibia Development Trust Fund Namdef in Windhoek. Gisela Kalipi, a clinical psychologist at the health ministry, noted that gambling-related issues often present alongside substance-related concerns, making early identification difficult, especially with increased digital accessibility. She added that individuals typically seek help only after significant harm, such as clinical impairment or severe financial loss, has occurred. Alpheus Matlata, assistant manager of treatment services at the South Africa Responsible Gambling Foundation, highlighted Namibia's strong position due to the health ministry's active involvement. He suggested that stakeholder collaboration could lead to a national self-exclusion system. Vataaupi Kauuova, chief administrative officer at the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, stressed the importance of household-level action and anonymous reporting systems for earlier intervention in addr
Free daily or weekly digest of the most important stories from across 18 African countries. No spam, unsubscribe any time.
This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by The Namibian.

President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah arrived in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, for her second official visit since President Samia Hassan's re-election. Invited by Hassan, Nandi-Ndaitwah will engage in bilateral talks at Ikulu State House before returning to Namibia on Monday. The visit aims to strengthen diplomatic, political, and economic ties between Namibia and Tanzania, and explore new areas of cooperation. A statement from the Presidency highlighted the enduring friendship and solidarity, forged during Namibia's liberation struggle, noting Tanzania's historical support to Swapo. The leaders are also expected to discuss regional and continental issues, and ways to deepen trade, investment, and people-to-people relations. This visit follows Hassan's re-election in November 2025, which faced criticism from opposition parties and human rights groups regarding political freedoms and the electoral environment, though the Tanzanian government affirmed the elections' adherence to national laws and democratic processes.

Namibia's Home Affairs Minister Lucia Iipumbu has addressed public concerns and protests regarding the country's planned electronic identity documents e-ID, refuting claims that they will be used to microchip and track citizens. Following demonstrations in the Omusati region, Minister Iipumbu stated in the National Assembly that discussions on the matter should be based on facts. She emphasized that Namibia is modernizing its identity management systems to strengthen national security, improve service delivery, protect personal identity, and support digital transformation. The Minister clarified that the e-ID is a secure smart card storing biometric and demographic information digitally, enabling efficient identity verification. She explicitly denied that the e-ID involves any implantation of devices or chips into individuals, comparing its technology to modern bank cards. Iipumbu also rejected assertions that the new document could track citizens' movements, affirming the government's commitment to protecting constitutional rights and privacy, with the e-ID complying with the Civil Registration and Identification Act of 2024. Public awareness campaigns are underway ahead of the planned September rollout, and citizens are encouraged to seek information from credible sources.
Brazil defeated Haiti 3-0 in Philadelphia, with two goals from Matheus Cunha and one from Vinicius Junior, eliminating Haiti from the Fifa World Cup. The victory, however, was overshadowed by an apparent injury to Brazil's star forward Raphinha. Brazil is now level on four points with Morocco in Group C, leading on goal difference. Morocco secured their first tournament win by beating Scotland 1-0, with Ismael Saibari scoring the sole goal. Morocco will play Haiti next, while Brazil will face Scotland. In other World Cup news, the United States advanced to the last 32 after a 2-0 victory over Australia in Seattle, with a Cameron Burgess own goal and a header from Alex Freeman. Paraguay also remains in contention after a 1-0 win against Turkey, a game in which Miguel Almiron received a red card for covering his mouth while confronting an opponent, under new FIFA rules.