RUNDU – Works and Transport Minister John Mutorwa has appealed to Rundu local authority councillors to stop with their constant bickering and infightings as this would adversely affect development at the river town.
The minister observed that developmemt is moving at a slow pace, in part due to the fightings among councillors.
“So I’m appealing to the colleagues in my capacity as a resident of this town that problems must not be continuous, if there are problems they must be solved. The acting CEO [Sikongo Haihambo], who is accountable to council, cannot succeed at implementing activities if elected leaders of the town of Rundu don’t work together and approve work to be accomplished by management,” Mutorwa said.
Mutorwa made the remarks during a consultative meeting in Rundu yesterday with Roads Authority and farmers of the two Kavango regions where they discussed the need of road networks in the farming areas where farmers are struggling to reach their farms.
“Yes, Rundu is a fast growing town, we are at the border. Our brothers and sisters from Angola and other countries are here together with us, so the town is growing.”
“Obviously, wherever there are more people working together it’s not always easy that people are on the same page. There are misunderstandings or arguments on a particular day, it’s the same in households but tomorrow you bring in someone to talk to the both of you and life continues, but when the leaders are constantly quarrelling for whatever reasons what do you expect from the general public, the people you are serving?” he asked. “So I hope you will solve the problems, I mean these political positions are temporary and then somebody else comes in to continue where you left off but we cannot paralyse activities of the town in this way through constant fighting and bickering,” he continued.
Mutorwa noted that he was glad that the Swapo president Dr Hage Geingob and the political bureau of the ruling party had intervened.
“But it looks as if the problem is still persisting, for as long as you don’t have unity even if you want to push for a certain project amongst yourselves, you will quarrel because you are not on the same page. So I’m appealing to you comrades, let us be frank, a white man once said that ‘frankness does not kill friendships’ and let us have a plan of the town, don’t allow people to settle everywhere without guiding them with your plan,” he said.