WINDHOEK – DTA secretary general Vincent Kanyetu has condemned the dumping of approximately 300 bags of maize meal along the Likwaterera road in the Rundu Rural constituency in the Kavango West Region.
“The DTA is informed that the maize meal was incorrectly stored during transportation and as a result was spoiled by the rain,” Kanyetu said in a statement yesterday.
Kanyetu says the chief regional officer Sebastian Kantema had confirmed that the dumped food was indeed part of the government’s drought relief assistance programme.
The DTA says the maize meal was contaminated and was then simply dumped by the side of the road.
“Considering that Namibia remains in the grip of the worst drought in 30 years and that an alarming rate of Namibia under the age of five years passed away in 2013 due to malnutrition and starvation, and that an overwhelming majority of Namibians do not enjoy food security, the negligent and senseless wastage of such a large amount of maize meal is simply unacceptable,” he said.
The DTA called on Prime Minster Hage Geingob to launch an investigation into the matter to uncover the reason for this wastage and to ensure that those responsible are held accountable.
“It goes without saying that the findings of any such investigation must be made public,” the statement read.
By Kuzeeko Tjitemisa