NEW ERA journalist Loide Jason interviewed Oshikuku constituency councillor Modestus Amutse to find out what has been happening in the constituency insofar as development is concerned, as well as the improvement of the livelihoods of the residents of Oshikuku.
NE: How many people live in the constituency and what are the main challenges facing residents?
MA: We are 8 900 as per the last housing and population census and our greatest challenge is unemployment, the lack of roads, clinics and electricity.
NE: There is a general perception that constituency councillors only visit their constituencies during election times? How would you describe the relationship between your office and the people who elected you as their councillor?
MA: I should tell you that we have a very committed governor who does not tolerate regional councillors who do not walk around their communities to ensure government services are delivered. I do visit my constituents regularly and hold meetings to hear their opinions and for me to brief them on government programmes and services. I also attend church services in all our main churches, where I also hold sessions to interact with people and to brief them on ongoing government programmes at national, regional and constituency level. I further brief our party structures at different levels to ensure that the comrades are on board. I thank my people very much for their support and understanding. I know that they have various needs that ought to be addressed, but it all depends on how prompt line ministries are responding to our pleas since regional councillors do not have budgets to implement most of the needed developments like water, electricity and so forth. I am occupying a political seat and I accept that there will be those who will appreciate my service and those who will have different opinions, but to me, they are all right.
NE: What projects including the construction of clinics, schools, toilets and other social infrastructure have you initiated since you were elected as a constituency councillor?
MA: Projects like clinics are decided at national level only through a set structure by the Ministry of Health and Social Services. I have since the beginning of my term requested for a clinic to be constructed at Olupumbu, which is the centre of my constituency based on the population there and many factors like the distance; the fact that it is isolated during the rainy season, as well as being a growth point with a fast growing population among others, but the Ministry of Health has not approved our application yet. I am currently backing the people of Olupumbu with a re-launch of their application for a clinic and I am confident that the Hon Minister of Health understands their plight and is still looking at their concern with seriousness. I also ensured that the proposed gravel road from Iikologo to Onemedhiya is prioritised for construction and may start any time soon. As for schools, we have a reasonable number of schools for now and schools like Omagalanga, Oshitutuma, Kooma and Epya have been renovated. The challenge was to have two schools namely Epya and Embumba connected to the electricity grid, but thanks to the Swapo Party government these schools now have electricity. Otherwise, all schools in the constituency have electricity. During the renovation of schools, some local companies got the chance to participate in the construction work and they have provided employment to a significant number of residents. Insofar as toilets are concerned, I, with the help of leaders at our centres identified beneficiaries for government toilets, but most importantly, 13 registered SME’s in the constituency, as well as from around the country, were given an opportunity to construct the toilets. The project created employment for 52 people and benefitted our pensioners and schools like Epyalyombala where the lack of toilets has been a serious concern. Bricks were obtained from community brick-making projects in support of the construction activities. I managed to get water to Otshuuli East where people and animals have been travelling up to 10 kilometres to have water. I also managed to mobilise pipes for the Okapya area, which is one of our largest villages in terms of population. The installation of speed humps at Oshikuku was one of the most pressing challenges, but I should salute Comrade Erkki Nghimtina who has always been there for all our road related needs, including the fact that he granted my request for speed limiters at Oshikuku. The speed humps are there today and have saved many lives although some drivers are still trying to cope with them.
NE: Have these projects been completed and if they have been completed have they already been handed over to communities in your constituency?
MA: Starting with pit latrines, 12 have been given to the beneficiaries except one, which is still under construction. We also have people who benefitted through micro-finance projects of our ministry and the Ministry of Gender and Child Welfare.
NE: During project implementation how many jobs were created? And how much did government spend on these projects?
MA: Let me say, one of the current projects is the upgrading of Oshikuku/Onamutuku road to bitumen standard at a cost of N$65.6 million where over 100 people will be employed for a period of 12 months.
NE: How have these projects benefited your constituency? In other words have these projects improved the lives of the people in the constituency?
MA: We have a democratic government that consults the people before implementing projects to assess the demand among others. It means all projects that were brought to the Oshikuku constituency by the government are those demanded by the people. It is then obvious to say yes, the people benefitted in terms of services and income from these projects, because after all it has been their desire to have these projects implemented.
NE: What other projects are currently in the pipeline in your constituency? And have funds been readily available for these projects?
MA: I am currently implementing a community-based bridge and access road between Omagalanga school and clinic, to ensure that both the school and clinic do not close again during the rainy season as is usually the case. The two institutions become inaccessible and close whenever we experience heavy rains, but this time I am building a bridge there under a cash-for-work initiative and own contributions. One company namely Joshi Investments saw how I am trying to bring about change and assisted us with 100 hundred bags of cement to be used during the construction of the access road. The challenge I am facing at this project is that people do not want to volunteer or get the little money from the cash-for-work initiative. They want more money, which I do not have. However, we have those committed Namibians who understand the role that they have to play in their own development and they are there constructing the bridge. Come end of November 2013 and see the difference. I have introduced a brand new gardening project involving 25 households at Oshitutuma in which they will be trained for six months to garden for domestic food security and income generation. I am implementing this project with some partners and if successful, it will create employment and provide sustainable incomes for at least 100 people. I am also working closely with the Roads Authority and Comrade Erkki Nghimtina, the Minister of Works of course with support from the governor to ensure we create a tarred access road to Oshikuku Hospital and a gravel road to Oshitundu Primary School from an ongoing road project. For the access road to Oshikuku Hospital, I am doing it together with Mbockoma Mungandjera, the mayor of Oshikuku and his local authority councillors.
NE: And what are the most common problems faced by people in your constituency? And how have you as the councillor intervened to help them deal with the issues?
MA: Drought, water shortages for people and animals, electricity supply to growth points, unemployment among the youth are the most common problems people are experiencing. For electricity, I have managed to mobilise funds to connect residents of Ondalaye at Oshikuku to electricity and contractors have already been appointed to electrify that area. I will give them electricity as their Christmas gift if everything goes according to plan. I have also mobilised funds for Onamutoni growth point near Ogongo and Nored has already been instructed to connect this area as soon as possible. Needs are many, but we are not alone, other Namibians also have needs so we cannot just demand as if we are the only people, but I should salute the governor Comrade Sofia Shaningwa and our chairperson Comrade Tataati Shileka, as well as our Chief Regional Officer Comrade Protasius Andowa and my colleagues for their generous support.
NE: Crime is a nationwide problem. What kind of crime is common in your constituency? And how is your community involved in tackling this scourge?
MA: I should thank the community for their excellent cooperation in combatting crime. There are many crimes, but not at a high rate and culprits are often arrested through community networking. I am appealing to our men and women and the youth to continue making Oshikuku a safe place of choice.
NE: How about shack fires. Is your constituency also affected and how is it affected?
MA: Destruction of homesteads by fire is a common problem in most areas of Namibia, including Oshikuku. We experience problems of homesteads gutted by fire and there is little we can do, especially when grain storage and sleeping rooms are destroyed because there is little we can do without proper means at our disposal. Most of the fires are caused by candlelight.
NE: Was the company contracted to implement the project a Namibian company, if not why was the project not awarded to a local contractor?
MA: All projects carried out in Oshikuku have been executed either by residents of Oshikuku or by Namibian contractors.
NE: How many people have benefitted from the project in question? And are these benefits long- or short-term?
MA: The benefits are permanent and like at Omagalanga Bridge, the government benefits since it will be able to deliver uninterrupted health services at Omagalanga clinic, while Omagalanga school will also be able to offer classes without any disruptions during the rainy season. Not only that, 52 people have been involved in the initial stage of the road project and I designed this project to provide training to members of the community working on the project to be able to build standard culverts after this exercise.
NE: How has the project changed the beneficiary community’s lives?
MA: The community of Omagalanga will be able to have access to school and clinic twelve months a year, without interruption by the rain. Where electricity is installed, light will always be there for as long as Namibia exists, people and animals will consume water for life where water has been connected, road users will travel on safer roads where roads are built.
By Loide Jason