OSHIKATI – Oshakati Town Council has relocated 122 flood-affected households to free serviced residential plots at Onawa Township, offering permanent solutions to families who have lived for years in flood-prone areas.
The relocation is part of a wider programme targeting 180 households. The council said the remaining beneficiaries will receive their plot allocations before the end of next month.
Speaking during the handover, Oshakati mayor Leanard Hango, said the programme is part of a long-term plan.
“Relocation is not an emergency measure. It is a planned programme aimed at flood mitigation and improving living conditions,” Hango said.
He added that the move towards permanent housing follows a directive from President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, issued after she visited flood-affected communities and found families staying in temporary structures.
“The President instructed the local authority to stop relying on temporary shelters and to provide permanent solutions for our people,” the mayor said.
Beneficiaries are receiving free residential land, fully serviced with water, sewage and electricity by Oshakati Premier Electric (OPE).
As of 22 December 2025, 122 households have been relocated. The council confirmed that 58 households are still awaiting allocation and will be accommodated before the end of February.
For residents, the relocation brings relief and a sense of ownership.
Simeon Josef said moving away from flood-prone areas has changed his life.
“For many years, floods destroyed our homes. Now I have my own place, safe from floods. Oshakati Town Council has helped us start a new life,” Josef said.
Another beneficiary, only identified as Selma, said owning land has always been her dream. “I am happy because I am not paying rent anymore. Owning my own infrastructure has always been my dream, and today that dream has come true,” she said.
Since 2019, Oshakati Town Council has relocated 1 160 households from informal settlements to Onawa Township. The programme has also created 378 jobs through different relocation phases, including Eemwandi, SKY, Kalula, Army Base, Solar Plant and Oshoopala.
Hango further emphasised that their aim is to move residents out of shacks and give families a chance to build proper homes.
“We want people to build houses for their families and give their children a place they can call home,” the mayor said.
