ALLOW me space in your esteemed newspaper to express my wonderment on the turn of events in terms of the developments taking place in this town. It is evident and crystal clear the current town council has run out of ideas because it is working to the deteriment of our town. Residents of the town have been deprived of land.
From my observations it seems the current council continues to enrich itself from what was supposed to have benefitted all residents of Katima Mulilo.
The previous town council had set hundreds of residential plots to cater for lower, middle and higher income categories that would have seen the town fulfilling its potential in terms of development and alleviating the cries of the people in the town.
The previous town council set aside 275 plots for the development of New Cowboy.
On the other hand, some plots in New Cowboy were even allocated to their new owners and the plan to provide water and sewerage for the purposes and information for this is recorded under the Formalization of Informal Settlements by Lux Development in joint cooperation with the Namibian Government for the people of Rundu and Katima Mulilo respectively.
There was supposed to have been no problem with the lower income categories because plots were provided and servicing was also progressing well with the former town council. Why should there be problems with plots now? In the similar exercise, Chotto had similar plans with New Cowboy, except Mahohoma which carried all three categories which was to cater for all three groups of incomes mentioned above.
The next phase was that of the middle income categories. The former town council had set aside plots next to Greenwell Matongo Location, which in its plans had sewer systems and water all in place and all was progressing well with the former council.
The former Coloured’s Camp was also given 26 plots and money was made available from the budget that was catering for the servicing of New Cowboy, and Greenwell Matongo Settlement, to have covered this of area Coloureds Camp.
Where is the money for these projects now? Other 20 or more plots were planned on the left hand side of the road on your way to Zambezi Protea Hotel immediately taking off from the Ngoma Botswana Road. As if this is not enough, further on, 1 300 plots were planned along the way to Mahohoma for middle and high income categories, but to this day nothing has come of these projects.
When are these plots going to be made available for the people to buy? Another problem with this council is the fact it advertised areas in Mahoihoma some two weeks ago for public sale. Are these plots the ones that were allocated to lower income categories who cannot afford the purchase of these expensive class erven?
The well-known fact is that these plots were not for sale to any person as they were only to be allocated and sold to the poor of the poor at an agreed amount of N$ 10.00 per plot. Where is that rule that restricts the sale of these plots to the general public according to the Government-Lux Development Prject initiatives?
Can they explain? Which way Katima Mulilo, tell the nation like it is. It must be stated clearly here that these plots were solely planned to be sold to beneficiaries with high income categories, but to this day, the budget allocated to these projects are a mystery and are in the hands of the current council. Can the Katima Mulilo Town Council explain all these mysteries?
We demand answers. Why should people languish in the disastrous want for plots while the town has more land for residential plots? Where is the honesty of the current council? Katima Mulilo residents continued to witness substandard services in township amenities and road construction. The initial plans to develop the town were diverted to personal enrichment opposed to people-centred service.
Should people crawl down on their knees to beg for plot allocations at the mercy of the town council.
Why does it take so long to provide residential plots to people who are in need while those plots for business are selling at record time. Katima Mulilo Town Council we need answers. Your work should now be more easier as compared to those who never had TIPEEG, but performed much better than you who are being spoonfed.
Concerned resident