Governor of the Kunene Region Angelika Muharukua says she would encourage traditional leaders in the region to embrace development.
Speaking in an interview with New Era last week, she observed that the people of Kaokoland have for many years refused several development opportunities in their area such as the construction of the planned Epupa hydropower dam.
“When I go and report to the president I cannot report people who are refusing development. People here are hungry but some of their hunger is because of their refusal to embrace development. Why has Epupa Dam not been constructed until now? People here refused that the dam be constructed,” Muharukua commented.
She said she would hold monthly consultative meetings on how best to develop Kaokoland and the region with the various traditional authorities, regional and town councils.
“The chiefs politicise things and refuse to see the benefits of development. I am going to deal with the so-called chiefs. Nobody is going to say no to development in this town. Several times, people in this region said no to development,” Muharukua remarked.
As regional governor, her plans for the region include investing in the education of people in order for them to understand the meaning of development.
“It is pointless to develop this place and yet the people do not understand why it is being developed. They have to understand what we mean by development. Educating people is part of development,” she stated.
She also said she would look at the possibility of proposing that the Kunene River be used for agricultural purposes.
“We are asking for food from other countries while we have our own river but we are not using it,” said Muharukua.