Media ombudsman’s term extended until June

The Editors’ Forum of Namibia (EFN) has announced the extension of John Nakuta’s term as media ombudsman for an additional three months, from 1 April to 30 June.


His term, originally set to expire at the end of March, has been prolonged to ensure a thorough nomination process for a successor. The nomination process, initially scheduled for February, was postponed following the passing of Namibia’s founding president, Sam Nujoma, on 8 February, the EFN explained.


Nakuta’s extension also allows him to finalise the 2024 Media Monitoring Project, an initiative assessing election coverage across traditional and online media. This groundbreaking six-month study, which included media analysis of the 27 November presidential and National Assembly elections, is considered a first of its kind in Namibia and possibly in southern Africa. The project, supported by Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Fesmedia project, the European Union, German Cooperation (DW Akademie) and the Namibia Media Trust (NMT), provided monthly insights into media and political party election coverage from July to December 2024.


A consolidated report will be published soon. "A key outcome of this initiative – backed by UNDP Namibia – is the production of four briefing papers. One focuses on misinformation and disinformation, analysing how false or misleading narratives influence public perception and decision-making," the EFN said.