The Cabinet has directed the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development, in collaboration with the Ministry of Justice, to prepare and propose amendments to Section 74(4) of the Electoral Act.

This is in view of the review of Article 45 of the Constitution and Section 77(4) of the Electoral Act of 2014, which deals with members of the public who wish to participate in elections to the effect that such persons are deemed to have resigned upon being elected to the National Assembly or National Council and not before or upon being nominated.

The Office of the Prime Minister is expected to provide an update to the Cabinet on the drought relief programme next month.

This was confirmed by the Executive Director, I-Ben Nashandi, as Cabinet resumes in February.

The update to Cabinet would outline the progress and challenges in the implementation of the drought relief programme, barely four months after its roll-out.

The government initiated the programme late last year following a Livelihood Vulnerability Assessments and Analyses report that declared more than 600,000 households food insecure.

The Cabinet has directed the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology to spearhead a groundbreaking initiative, crafting a comprehensive national digital strategy and action plan.

Thus, the ministry, alongside key stakeholders in the digital realm, convened a pivotal validation workshop to fine-tune Namibia's National Digital Strategy, setting the stage for a transformative digital landscape.

The Cabinet has directed the Minister of Finance and Public Enterprise to continue monitoring the performance of the Government Institutions Pension Fund (GIPF) to ensure that the state exposure to the Fund is optimally managed.

Following are some of the resolutions taken at its last seating as announced by the Minister of Information and Communication Technology, Dr. Peya Mushelenga.

The Namibia Seamen and Allied Workers Union has welcomed Etosha Fishing's decision to reopen its cannery.

The company announced that operations will resume at the end of this month to process the Horse Mackerel relief quota, allocated by the line ministry. The Cabinet approved the allocation of a 5,000-metric-ton horse mackerel quota to Etosha Fishing in June.

Environmental Commissioner Timoteus Mufeti says Dundee Precious Metal's general waste management facility is in line with government standards and was approved by Cabinet. Mufeti was speaking at the inauguration of the facility at Tsumeb in the Oshikoto Region.

Cabinet has approved an Education Grant Policy to reduce existing inequities and provide an efficient and equitable funding mechanism.

The goal is to ensure that schools and learners from different socio-economic backgrounds have access to adequate resources for full participation in education.

The Ministry of Education, Arts, and Culture introduced access to free education at the primary level in 2013 and in secondary education since 2016.

This means all learners should attend school even if their parents cannot afford any contributions.

President Hage Geingob's commitment to transparency regarding his health and ability to serve as the country's highest officeholder seems to be placing pressure on other leaders.

Upon his return to his residence, Dr. Geingob acknowledged this fact while being greeted by an enthusiastic gathering of family, Cabinet colleagues, Members of Parliament, and other well-wishers.

Maintaining confidentiality is of the utmost importance for any patient undergoing a medical procedure.

The Cabinet has banned exports of lithium and other critical minerals and rare earth elements.

This follows a submission by the Minister of Mines and Energy, Tom Alweendo, to this effect.

The export of lithium in its raw form has been the focus of some communities and activists lately.

There have been demonstrations by traditional communities, particularly in the Erongo Region, where the sought-after mineral is found in large quantities.

Cabinet has issued a directive to NamPower to put on hold the planned suspensions of power supply to defaulting local authorities.

The Minister of Finance and Public Enterprises, Ipumbu Shiimi, said this in a letter to the NamPower Board Chairperson, Daniel Motinga, yesterday.

Shiimi says the directive to suspend power cuts is in consideration of pending consultations between the Ministry of Finance and Public Enterprises, the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development, and the local authorities.