Isabel Bento

OMARURU – The Omaruru Town Council is advancing several development projects, including housing, electrification and market infrastructure, despite ongoing constraints related to land servicing and bulk infrastructure capacity.

Among the key initiatives is the development of an open market at the former single quarters, where residents have already been relocated.

CEO Valentinus Sindongo told Nampa recently, the town is making steady progress in improving living conditions, particularly in informal settlements.

“The project is currently in its second phase, focusing on market stalls and roofing. Once completed, it will provide a safer and more structured environment for vendors,” Sindongo said.

He noted that the facility is expected to boost informal trade and improve food accessibility for low-income residents.

The council has also relocated residents from the former single quarters to Build Together houses, with 40 units allocated.

“In some cases, we sold incomplete houses at reduced prices to ensure affordability and occupancy,” he said.

However, Sindongo acknowledged a persistent housing backlog, largely due to limitations in bulk infrastructure.

“The entire town relies on a septic system, which restricts expansion. We therefore want to allocate more land, but service provision remains a bottleneck,” he explained.

To address this, the council is working with the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development on sewer upgrades, which are currently at an advanced stage.

In addition, over 200 plots have been allocated to the Shack Dwellers Federation of Namibia (SDFN), while 172 more are being serviced through partnerships with development organisations.

Electrification efforts are also progressing, with more than 300 households already connected and a further 323 earmarked under ongoing projects.

The Erongo Regional Council has previously highlighted land servicing and housing delivery as priority areas in the region, noting that infrastructure limitations continue to slow down the provision of serviced plots.

The council has been working alongside local authorities and the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development to support mass land servicing initiatives and improve access to basic services.

Government programmes such as the Build Together initiative and partnerships with organisations like SDFN and Development Workshop Namibia have also been rolled out to accelerate housing delivery and improve living conditions.

Sindongo said these initiatives are aimed at stimulating local economic activity while addressing long-standing service delivery gaps. -Nampa