OTJIWARONGO – The Otjiwarongo Municipality unanimously approved the 2025/26 capital and expenditure budget of more than N$226 million at its special meeting on Friday.

This is a N$82 million rise from the N$144 million budget that council tabled in 2024.

Tabling the budget, which was supported by all the local authority councillors, the chairperson of the Otjiwarongo municipality management committee Godhard Hoko said the committee had engaged extensively before agreeing on the budget.

“Therefore, this year’s estimated budget and expenditure speak to the needs of our people. As a result, a zero tariff increase on rates and taxes was agreed upon this year,” he said.

He added that N$42 million is expected to come from the sale of water, followed by payments on rates and taxes with N$40 million.

The sale of land is expected to bring N$25 million and a capital injection of N$18 million from the central government to the municipality, while some of the revenue streams would bring in N$226 million, Hoko said.

He said salaries were the biggest expense of the municipality, with employees accounting for N$75 million a year, followed by the maintenance of ageing water pipelines and the road network.

“The ever-increasing rural-urban migration is a heavy challenge, as this exerts pressure on the municipality to provide water, electricity and other essential services,” he said.

Meanwhile, mayor Gottlieb Shivute said it is the council’s mandate to improve the lives of the residents of the town. Therefore, the Otjiwarongo Municipality will continue to make sure residents are provided with reliable services, to improve their living conditions.

He added that the council will continue to subsidise pensioners on their monthly bills for water, sewerage and sanitation services.

The Otjiwarongo budget will now be submitted to the Minister of Urban and Rural Development, James Sankwasa, for approval before implementation, Shivute said. -Nampa