ONGWEDIVA – Othingo residents in Oshana Region who threatened to boycott future regional and local polls because of the purported failure of the Oshakati Town Council to relocate the dumpsite in their village have registered to vote.
Scores of Othingo villagers registered for the presidential and National Assembly elections during the supplementary registration of voters in September.
Othingo has 120 residents of whom 70 registered during the supplementary registration period.
The dumpsite at Othingo – a village within the boundaries of Oshakati – is believed to be the cause of several deaths, and health problems experienced by both villagers and their livestock.
“We feel a bit relieved from the smoke but we are still appealing to the Oshakati Town Council to remove the dumpsite because it is really a health hazard to us and the entire community,” said one resident who requested anonymity.
Residents who spoke to New Era on Tuesday said they decided to register to participate in the upcoming national elections because municipal officials promised they would get rid of the mounting rubbish by burning it.
“We only registered for the presidential elections but not for the local authority and regional council elections,” said one of the villagers who identified himself as Eddy Iyambo.
Another resident said: “We decided to register in order to vote so that we give our leaders another chance to rule and deliver effective service to people, including a conducive health environment.”
In the meeting held between the villagers and town council, villagers said they advised the town council to relocate the dumpsite.
Spokesman of the Oshakti Town Council Jackson Muma exuded confidence that the town council would remedy the issue and minimise pollution.
In an interview early this year, the CEO of the Oshakati Town Council, Werner Iita, said his office was aware of the complaints by Othingo residents.
Iita also acknowledged council was aware of the possible dangers posed by the open-air dumpsite.
He said he was however not aware of any reports of human deaths as claimed by the villagers.
“In the long run we will relocate the dumpsite because that is not a suitable place for a dumping area, especially when it produces smoke,” he said at the time.
Iita said the town council plans to service the area and turn Othingo into industrial erven, thus residents will be compensated for their land and relocated in the long term.
He also pleaded with villagers to register for the regional council election and vote for their leader.
Residents said they consulted the town council on several occassions to relocate the dumpsite, because it is a “health hazard” but to no avail.
Residents decided to register for the presidential elections while cold-shouldering the local authority and regional council elections.