Collen Mulife Kurana

Namibia has a large population of people residing in informal settlements. In 2018, it was reported in local media that 40% of Namibians lived in informal settlements. A study by Endjala and Botes in 2020 showed that high housing prices, unemployment, and the continuing gap between the haves and have-nots are factors forcing many to settle in informal settlements. Katima Mulilo is the largest settlement in the Zambezi region. The town is the administrative headquarters of the region and has a population of 28 362 inhabitants, according to the 2011 national population census. Since 2011, the population of the town has expanded further as more informal settlements have been built. 

However, sanitation in informal settlements in Katima Mulilo is bad. 

Shacks (houses) in informal settlements have no shared toilets for the residents to use when nature calls. The residents are forced to go to the riverbed or other green spaces every day. Using the riverbed or bush is a risk for residents. They can encounter criminals, snakes, or other creatures that can harm them, particularly at night. They can be assaulted, robbed, or raped. Lack of sanitation can cause health hazards like cholera and hepatitis E. 

Katima Mulilo typically receives a lot of rainfall per year. Sanitation in informal settlements is worse during the rainy season because human waste is carried by floodwater from rain onto streets and shacks where people live. 

Using the bush or riverbed is a human rights issue because it causes the loss of dignity for the residents and exposes women to sexual harassment. I believe that the Katima Mulilo Town Council, together with other stakeholders, can improve the sanitation in informal settlements. Since it is a local authority, it can replicate the City of Windhoek’s shared toilet approach. The City of Windhoek builds shared toilets for the residents in informal settlements to prevent public defecation and residents falling victim to crime. This way, the residents do not have to use mountains or bushes when nature calls. Therefore, sanitation in informal settlements in Katima Mulilo needs urgent attention.

*Collen Mulife Kurana is a Master’s Degree student in Leadership and Change Management at the Namibia University of Science and Technology.