NKURENKURU – Inhabitants of Nkurenkuru and surrounding areas on Tuesday protested against the rise in strange murders of locals at the town, saying people are no longer safe at the town.
The protest comes in the wake of a recent discovery, where a 54-year-old man was discovered floating in the Kavango River on 5 September.There have been recent discoveries of bodies with missing parts in the said river.
“The people of Nkurenkuru and the surrounding area are saddened by the reputation acts of killings and mutilation. We cannot further tolerate this type of acts. For the past six months, we have lost a significant number of people from Ukakorora.
“Article 21 of the Namibian constitution talks about the fundamental freedoms. It clearly states that every Namibian can move freely within the jurisdiction of our country without any fear of being attacked. But these constitutional rights are taken away in Nkurenkuru and the surrounding areas,’’ said Gabriel Tenga, who read the petition on behalf of the aggrieved inhabitants. He said people are unable to move freely in their community because they fear being attacked. “These serial killers live amongst us and as we speak. We could be having some amongst the crowd and people don’t know because they seem to be protected by a syndicate that is deeply rooted within the fabric of our society,’’ he said.Receiving the petition, Kavango west governor Verna Sinimbo assured the petitioners that she will make sure their concerns reach the relevant offices for fedback.“Allow me to reemphasise that fighting crime cannot be done in isolation.
It is a collective effort that needs to come from all of us. Hence, I appeal to the community, whoever has information with regard to this issue of suspected ritual killings or any other crime, even the slightest information. Your identity will be kept confidential,’’ she said.She urged the community to stand up and assist the police in finding the culprits or necessary information needed in a case of suspected ritual murders. “Let us report immediately if our family members have gone missing so that an immediate search could be conducted. The police are mandated to protect the lives and property of the community. I hereby urge them to double their efforts to ensure safety in Kavango West region,’’ she said.