Aron Mushaukwa
Luhonono-Community members at Luhonono in the Kabbe North of the Zambezi Region have expressed disappointment over the delay in constructing a school hostel at Schuckmansburg Combined School.
Although earthworks and the digging of the foundation were done in November last year, the constructor has not been on site and all construction work stopped in March. The community is worried that it will take years before the constructor returns to the site to finish the work.
“They demolished two permanent classrooms when they started with the foundation and they said they were going to construct them immediately, but since March we have not seen them again.
“The community had to construct temporary structures for our children to attended classes, which is not safe, as
when it is cold our children are shivering and when it is hot they burn,” said one of the residents of the area.
They further said the foundation has become unsafe for the community and with the commencing of the rainy season, it has come a breeding area for mosquitos.
“Our children are at this school, our teachers are here. Is that what the Ministry of Health says? What medicine are we going to pour in there? Nothing. So, we are afraid for our children and teachers regarding the foundation,” said another Luhonono resident.
“At one time a dog fell in the foundation and died, until it started smelling that is when we discovered that a dog fell in. We had to instruct kids to pull it out,” he said.
Community members are also concerned that electricity was disconnected to some of the teachers’ temporary structures, which were also demolished to make way for the construction of the hostel. They had to build new houses for the teachers, but were told by Nored that to reconnect the electricity an amount of N$29,000 had to be paid.
Contacted for comment Kabbe North Constituency Councillor Peter Mwala revealed that the construction of the hostel was put on hold because there is no money. He added that the regional council was working to secure funds to complete the hostel. He said there was no set period for completion of the project though, as it depends on when the funds will be available.