ONYAANYA – Councillor for Onyaanya Constituency Petrus Kambala has honoured his promise to forego his entertainment allowance and divert the funds to buy food for the needy. Kambala made the pledge last month.
The councillor yesterday donated 40 bags of maize meal each of 10kg, 40 bottles of cooking oil and 40 cans of tinned fish. The food parcels are valued at N$5 100, which is more than half of his annual entertainment allowance of N$10 000.
Thirty-four people benefitted, an increase from the initial eight households identified earlier.
“This food may not be enough to satisfy everyone, although we know that everybody is affected by drought and starvation … I also took cognisance of numerous letters from headmen informing me about how people are reeling in hunger and had to do something to alleviate the situation,” stressed Kambala.
Furthermore, Kambala said he was touched by the dire situation of learners of Oshilunga Combined School who have been going to school on an empty stomach, while the school-feeding programme is their only source of food.
“These learners come from households where there is nothing to eat at all, only the feeding programme is their saviour. This situation hit me like a hammer to the bottom of my heart.”
The councillor said this is not the first time that he shares his allowance with the community, adding that he has been donating his funds since becoming a councillor in 2015 whenever there is a community gathering in his constituency such as on Independence Day, Heroes Day, etc.
“I have to share and eat with the community; these are the people who voted me into this position. I cannot be greedy – imagine if they didn’t vote, I would not be here in this position. Therefore, I will have to share with them by all means. And by so doing we are meeting government halfway in some aspects as it cannot provide for all at once,” emphasised Kambala.
Kambala also happily announced that the drought relief programme has kicked off in his constituency since Monday and that up to 344 households would
benefit.