ANDARA – Fumu Erwin Munika Mbambo has expressed his satisfaction that villages surrounding Shamaturu clinic will soon be served in a modern clinic as the facility that took almost 11 years to construct is finally in its completion month.

Construction work started in 2012 but contractors had difficulty in finishing as Shamaturu was also affected by the 2016/17 fiscal consolidation decision of government when many projects were put on hold.

The residents have for decades been receiving healthcare services in a makeshift structure, which is deemed unconducive. The ministry in May last year made funds available and appointed another contractor to finalise the project.

“Shamaturu was supposed to be completed long back,” the Hambukushu leader Mbambo said during the official inauguration of the Andara district hospital’s Covid-19 isolation facility, which was officiated by Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila on Sunday.

The fumu, while giving a vote of thanks said, “as Namibians, we have the right to complain or raise our concerns to government and government should deliver what is possible. Our feeder roads could also be attended to long ago but it appears the political leaders did not communicate well and on time with the right offices.” 

He said the constituency and traditional authority developmental needs are not his personal needs but for the inhabitants, for the development of the masses. He further urged government to consult and get the right information from him and his community on development in his area.

Mukwe constituency councillor, Damian Maghambayi during the inauguration of the isolation facility also expressed gratitude that the ministry heeds the call to finalise the construction of Shamaturu clinic but said the problem now is lack of 4x4 vehicles to reach the clinic.

“We are challenged with many social issues, Andara hospital does not have 4x4 vehicles or ambulance to attend to people who are seriously sick in remote areas as there are no proper roads to bring them to the hospital,” he said.

Maghambayi informed the prime minister that as government, they have a duty to implement projects that will respond to the plight of the people.

“We are, therefore, thankful that the Shamaturu clinic is in its completion stage and will be handed over by the contractor to the ministry by the end of this month. Together with the Andara district hospital, we requested the Ministry of Works and Transport through their agency Roads Authority (RA) that there is a need to address the issue of patient referrals from Shamaturu as there is only a makeshift road from the Trans Caprivi Highway to the clinic which is more than 15km south of the highway,’’ he said.

Together with the Andara district hospital, Maghambayi have written a strongly-worded letter to the ministry where they declared the road as an emergency that at least if it’s not in the capital project list, it must be declared as an emergency because if someone dies due to the bad road, government will be blamed or might be held accountable. 

“Our request was heard and an amount of N$18 million was made available to construct the emergency road from Andara up to Shamaturu,” the road is, however, in the pipeline as no work is geared to start yet.

“We are saying that 33 years after independence, the majority of our people still live deep in the remote areas where they have grazing land for their livestock and for them to reach here where services are is so difficult. The hinterland of this constituency does not have access or feeder roads and we just had a conference on wildlife conflict and this is the area with a lot of wildlife, therefore, I think the priority should be constructing more roads to give access to these areas so that farmers can also easily take their livestock to the nearest abattoir,’’ he said.