WINDHOEK: A media expert working for the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) says media and information communication technology (ICT) play a crucial role in Namibia’s democracy as it enhances citizen participation and good governance.
Karen Mohan, a specialist in the field of Media Law Policy and Advocacy at MISA’s regional secretariat was speaking yesterday at a one-day training workshop for senior local journalists on access to information in Namibia.
She stated that the media and ICT further play a crucial role in the country’s democracy by promoting freedom of speech, issues related to human rights, economic development, poverty reduction and equality in the country.
Mohan stressed the fact that in order for Namibia to uphold the principles upon which the State was founded, the Namibian Government has a responsibility to facilitate full access to information through the media and ICTs to all people residing in the country.
She told the participating local senior journalists that democracies rarely flourish without the existence of an independent media in any given country, as the media plays an important role in informing citizens about issues that affect their day-to-day lives.
Disgruntled residents of the DRC informal settlement yesterday demonstrated in front of the Swakopmund Municipality, demanding that the settlement be formalised.
The more than 100 DRC residents are demanding that this be done in order for development plans to be realised so that the living conditions of the settlement’s residents can be improved.
The spokesperson for the group, Ambrosius Marsh indicated to Nampa during an interview yesterday that residents living there are ‘not prepared to accept excuses’ from the municipality with regards to development in the area any more.
The community members say they are ‘tired of empty promises’ made by councillors over the years, some of which include the improvement of water facilities in the area, as well as the provision of electricity and decent toilet facilities.
A petition handed over by the unhappy residents to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Swakopmund Municipality, Eckart Demasius yesterday listed the formalising of the informal settlement, sanitation, the burning of shacks and the water card system as some of the concerns which they want addressed urgently.
The residents say they want a response from the municipality by the end of September.