NKURENKURU – Erastus Sitentu Kandjimi was last Friday re-elected as mayor of Nkurenkuru in Kavango West. He has served as mayor of Nkurenkuru since taking over the office from the founding mayor of the town, Heikki Ausiku in 2010.
“First of all, allow me to thank the government of the Republic of Namibia through the Swapo Party and indeed my fellow honourable councillors for having entrusted and re-elected me for another term in the office as the Mayor and the Chairperson of the Council of Nkurenkuru town. Secondly, my appreciation goes to the general public, especially the community of Nkurenkuru for creating an enabling environment to make my work easier to provide leadership to Nkurenkuru Town Council,” he said in his acceptance speech to serve the town of Nkurenkuru as mayor for the eight year in a row.
The election of the new office bearers at Nkurenkuru was unchanged from the previous election as the status quo remains the same: Katrina Hamukwaya remains the Deputy Mayor, Bernadine Namutenya Haukwambi remains as the Chairperson of Management Committee, while Reini Imarwa Haruwodi was retained as a member of Management Committee along with Angelius Kanyanga Liveve. Lucia Wandi Pashu remains as an ordinary council member together with Olavi Aludilu Iihemba.
Nkurenkuru during his time at the helm of Kandjimi has seen change and it has also been developing rapidly although the economic trends are not favourable at the moment.
“We were together with various partners in development during 2018 and managed to achieve some of the planned activities as the community wanted us to do. Hence, I would like to report to you that the following achievements have been realized in our town during the year 2018 despite some challenges and limited budget as well as ongoing economic recession as you might be aware,” Kandjimi said.
Amongst the council’s achievements this year was the electrification of Nkurenkuru extension 3 phase 1, which includes streetlights, erven water connections and sewerage pump station at the area of Kafuma has been completed along with the electrification of Nkurenkuru extension 2 phase 3, which marks the finalisation of these extensions in terms of electricity supply have also been completed.
“Here, I would like to urge all those who reside in these areas to start developing their erven and apply directly to Nored for power connections at your respective houses (properties). The construction of municipal services at Nkurenkuru Extension 2 (phase 2) with water, sewerage system and roads near Nkurenkuru Combined School is completed,” Kandjimi noted.
Nkurenkuru also successfully saw the creation and implementation of the Kahenge reception area and the provision of water in addition to Kulisuka and Mayara reception areas for low-income groups this year.
“The surveying of Nkurenkuru Extension 11 at Kulisuka for about 312 plots has also been done this year and we are just awaiting for the Surveyor General`s approval,” he added.
The construction of the Nkurenkuru Emergency and Fire Station and Nkurenkuru Extension 1 has just started on the 13th of November 2018 at the T-Junction towards Nepara roads, “We have so far successfully held our 10 meetings in terms of the Local Authority Act, (Act No.23 of 1992) as amended plus one special meeting. Seventy six resolutions were taken of which 99 percent if not 100 percent is implemented,” he noted.
Kandjimi also highlighted that during his time as mayor, they have also successfully conducted their public meetings as planned for this year, although they experienced some low turn up. “On this, I would like to appeal to the residents in Nkurenkuru Central and East Ward areas to please attend these important meetings as their presence is highly needed where issues pertaining to the development of our town are being deliberated,” he said.