RUNDU – Hausiku Ferdinand, a foreman at Nkutu village in Kavango West Region is angered by what he claims is government neglect of his area. Hausiku says Nkutu village in Rundu Rural Constituency and located some 25 km from the Rundu to Nkurenkuru road has been neglected for many years by the government and his community has not benefited since independence. The village is home to over 600 residents.
“We don’t know what development means in this area, we have never seen it, but we always see government cars in the area when its near election time to encourage us to vote but after election they don’t come back again,” he says. Ferdinand has lived at Nkutu for over 23 years.
He told New Era that villagers need basic services, especially health and water services. “We need water, sometimes we go for two weeks without water when the winddoesn’t blow because our water is pumped with a windmill. We also need electricity. The pylons have been erected in the area but the power is not yet connected. We also need a clinic as currently we don’t have one and pregnant women give birth at home because the hospitals are far and we have no telephone network in the area to call for an ambulance from the nearest health facility at Mupini clinic located 20 kilometres away,” he said. He added that “pregnant women are also discouraged by the distance to go for required checkups.”
“We only have a primary school at Nkutu and nothing else – people are suffering here, we are all suffering to be honest with you,” he lamented.
“When it comes to drought relief food, we only received maize meal twice, and for the second time I personally had to force the councillor.”
The councillor of Rundu Rural West Rosa Kavara urged Nkutu residents to file their claims through the village development committee (VDC). She said once she receives the requests of what residents need through their VDC she could then take up the issue by contacting relevant offices.
“I will do my best as a councillor to meet the needs of the Nkutu community. I have through the constituency development commitee received [communication of] some of their needs from their VDC, but it takes time as it is a process and regarding electricity, we brought them electricity which will soon be in their homesteads,” Kavara assured residents.
By John Muyamba