Oshigambo
Construction workers at Oshigambo-Eenhana could not believe their good furtune when a landmine was discovered next to the road where they have been working and travelling for years.
On Friday members of the Namibian police discovered a landmine next to one of the busiest roads between Ohangwena and Oshikoto regions during an explosives clearing and debushing exercise alongside that road.
Nampol Explosive Control Division is contracted by the Ministry of Works and Transport to screen the road in the former warzone for unexploded ordinance, as the ministry wants to expand the road.
According to Chief Inspector Walde Haikali of the Explosive Control Division, they discovered an anti-tank landmine originating in the Soviet Union. The landmine, according to Haikali, is just one of many found during the ongoing countrywide explosive clearing and de-bushing campaign.
Soldiers left behind such explosives during the anti-colonial struggle, involving the then military wing of Swapo Party, the People’s Liberation Army of Namibia and soldiers of the South West African Territorial Forces, headed at the time by the occupational South African army.
He also explained that workers at the newly constructed road were very fortunate not to have been injured as no screening was done prior to construction.
“Luckily, they (the road contractors) simply tarred an existing gravel road and did not work on the sides of they road,” said Haikali. He warned members of community not tamper with unknown objects and to rather report such objects to the police.