By Magreth Nunuhe
WINDHOEK – Chiefs in Kaoko say their communities did not benefit from development aid disbursed by the German government through the National Planning Commission (NPC) to Namibian communities affected by the genocide.
Chief David Kavari of Otuvero in the Okaoko area said they only heard of the Namibian-German Special Initiative Programme (NGSIP) and that it was going to help communities that suffered under German colonial rule, but they never received any of this special assistance.
“We were told that assistance was going to come through the Kunene Constituency Council but we don’t know of anything that came our way,” he said. He further stated they heard the NGSIP was helping to renovate and supply equipment for schools and dig boreholes, but nothing came of it.
Chief Kaupanga Zakekua of Omuhiva in Okaoko said they heard that the special initiative aided the Ovatue people, this despite the fact that German troops also killed the Ovahimba people at Otjitunduua, Sesfontein and Kaokotavi.
Germany availed N$200 million towards improving the social and economic conditions of communities that suffered under German colonial rule.
The communities were selected from 24 constituencies in Erongo, Hardap, Karas, Khomas, Kunene, Omaheke and Otjozondjupa.
The affected communities are the Nama, Ovaherero, Ovambanderu, Damara, Ovahimba and San who suffered during the 1904 to 1908 genocide.
In the first phase, according to the German government report in 2012, rural development was financed in 54 “individual measures,” including the rehabilitation of 40 boreholes, five livestock projects and five horticultural projects.
The German government stated in the 2012 report that the second phase of the special initiative funds were committed to specialised service providers, such as consultants, architects, construction and agricultural engineers who are carrying out more specialized projects with relevant communities.
Phase two included 33 building projects for education and youth services, 23 projects for construction of cultural and small business centres, 20 agricultural projects and 91 water supply points.
Phase one of the programme commenced in 2008 while phase two was launched in April 2011 and is due to be completed at the end of October 2014, according to the German Embassy website.
Several attempts to get a response from the NPC proved futile at the time of going to print.