Windhoek
The Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP) has called on President Hage Geingob to commission a thorough investigation into the death of seven victims of food poisoning in Kunene Region.RDP secretary for information and publicity, Nghiningiluadubo Kashume, said such investigation must include the origin of the poison, its logistical channels and where it was sorted before it ended up mixed with the porridge.
“The investigation must also establish the intention of whoever brought such dangerous substance into the area of human habitat,” said Kashume in a statement issued on Friday.
He said Namibia can no longer afford to lose precious lives under suspicious circumstances seeing that the country is already grappling with deadly diseases such as HIV/AIDS which is robbing the country of productive lives that impact negatively on economic development.“Food poisoning and loss of human lives are becoming a regular occurrence after similar incidents were reported in Kavango East a little while ago,” he said.
Kashume says as a country “we cannot afford to have dangerous substances poorly stored and, or easily available that eventually slip through the hands of innocent children.”“Such toxic substances must be destroyed before they destroy human life,” he added.
He also called on the national broadcaster the Namibia Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) to regularly educate community leaders, health personnel and nurses to alert the community about the dangers posed by toxic substances.“Let Namibia become a proactive nation as opposed to being reactive when the damage has already been done,” added Kashume.He said losing seven members of the community is a big loss, so the investigation must get to the bottom of the matter. “RDP wish to extend their heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims,” he said.
“May their souls rest in eternal peace,” he added. Meanwhile, the seven people who died from food poisoning were last week laid to rest at Ohamaremba in the Kunene Region.