Lahja Nashuuta
Khomas governor Shafiishuna Sam Nujoma has declared affordable housing as his top development priority for the next five years.
He made the announcement during a visit to a grieving family in the One Nation settlement in the Tobias Hainyeko constituency.
This is where two minors tragically lost their lives in a shack fire on Saturday.
“This tragedy underscores the urgent and persistent challenges of housing, safety and infrastructure faced by countless residents of informal settlements,” said Nujoma.
He added: “It is unacceptable that in 2025, families continue to live in structures that offer little to no protection from fire, cold or other dangers”.
He called on all relevant authorities, humanitarian organisations and concerned citizens to offer support.
Those willing to assist are encouraged to contact the Office of the Governor.
Meanwhile, the stakeholders consultative meeting, which included Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare, regional councillors and housing development agencies recently in Windhoek, has approved the availability of 5 000 serviced plots in Windhoek.
This focuses primarily on informal settlements to ensure safer and more dignified living conditions. A communiqué seen by New Era states that the Office of the Khomas Governor had been tasked with drafting and submitting an implementation plan to the Prime Minister by last Friday.
The plan has been submitted.
Nujoma said the aim of the meeting was to develop practical strategies to transform informal settlements into formally-recognised and serviced communities.
Year 2025
For the current financial year, the Khomas region has set sights on delivering 5 000 serviced plots in Windhoek’s informal settlements, construct 5 000 affordable housing units on those plots and roll out Flexible Land Tenure Schemes (Starter and Land Hold Title) for affordable, secure land ownership.
In addition, the region wants to open major roads in informal areas to improve mobility and access, install high-mast lighting to enhance safety and dignity for over 135 000 residents, provide water, sewerage and electricity infrastructure to 11 savings groups as well as upgrade gravel roads to tarred surfaces across Windhoek suburbs.
Budget
The latest budget reveals that Khomas received the highest regional allocation under the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF), totalling N$2.64 billion out of the N$9.63 billion allocated nationwide.
This represents 24% of the total budget.
“This funding will support critical infrastructure projects, such as the Windhoek-Hosea Kutako International Airport Road upgrades, Windhoek-Okahandja road enhancements, sanitation infrastructure and construction of regional office blocks and public facilities,” the development budget report reads.
Other regional allocations include Erongo: N$1.3 billion, focusing on rail and road upgrades, including the Walvis Bay-Kranzberg railway (210 kilometres), the Swakopmund-Henties Bay-Kamanjab link road and the MR44 (Swakopmund-Walvis Bay) upgrades.
On the housing front, the government has earmarked N$1.1 billion for national housing development.
Broken down, N$18.8 million is for mass housing development, the Build Together Programme, the Shack Dwellers Federation of Namibia and the National Housing Enterprise.
A total of N$304 million is for upgrading informal settlements nationwide.
Moreover, N$30 million is for the installation of prepaid water and electricity meters in local authorities and settlements.
For the review and update of the National Integrated Water Resources Management Plan, N$5 million has been set aside.