Rudolf Gaiseb

The leader of the National Democratic Party and headman of Queensland village in Zambezi region, Martin Lukato, has appealed to the government to act on the water shortage his village currently faces.

Lukato told New Era last week the situation was dire and the people were crying day and night because of thirst.

Lukato told the National Assembly the community had two solar-powered water storage tanks but said these did not store enough water for people and livestock because the solar panels were old and did not pump enough water.

“A budget was allocated three years ago by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform so that the old solar panels can be replaced, but up to now nothing has been done. The two tanks cannot supply the people enough water,” he said.

Thursday, agriculture minister Inge Inge Zaamwani-Kamwi said had Lukato engaged her during her recent visit to the region, she could have done something about the water situation then, but for now she will have to “go back and enquire”.

 She highlighted that water scarcity remains a problem across the country and the government is doing everything it can to provide water to as many people as it can.

“We have a lot of projects to deliver water to our rural communities, and we hope in due course, with financial resources available, we will be able to reach everyone,” she said.

Essentially, Zaamwani-Kamwi said the ministry’s target is to reduce the distance communities walk to fetch water under the sixth National Development Plan.

Many rural communities nationwide still walk long distances to fetch water for their day-to-day activities, such as washing, cooking or bathing.-rrgaiseb@gmail.com 

Photo: Heather Erdmann