RUNDU - Hompa Alfons Kaundu, the traditional leader of the Mbunza authority in Kavango West region, said government has neglected his jurisdiction when it comes to infrastructure development.
Kaundu in his remarks during a courtesy visit yesterday to his palace at Kapako village by the leader of the official opposition party, McHenry Venaani, said his area lacks roads and clinics.

“We have been neglected by government so much,” he said.
“We have brought our challenges forth to the ministry of works regarding roads in our area but nothing has been done. Our farms are in far areas but there are no roads, when these farmers want to sell their livestock trucks can’t reach them to go and collect it so farmers have to take them on foot.”

Apart from the lack of roads, Kaundu said Mbunza just like most parts of Kavango West don’t have clinics in remote areas and villagers still walk long distances in search of medical care.
“Mbunza is way behind, our area has resources, we have fertile land and our farms can be productive but no roads to get produce to the market on time. We don’t have government projects such as aquaculture dams or any other government projects that could help uplift Mbunza to also create employment in this area,” he noted.

The Popular Democratic Movement leader, who is on a working visit to the two Kavango regions, said his party was preparing a motion to be tabled in parliament highlighting the plight of the poor, especially in the two north-east regions.

“I am leader who believes in things on the ground, I go out and assess things on the ground. PDM is preparing for a landmark motion to be tabled in parliament discussing the poverty stricken regions whereby the two Kavango regions are the poorest in our country,” Venaani said.
“I’m on a working visit to this area to discuss a number of concerns and amongst them is the lack of roads in this area, poverty, the backwardness of agriculture and the high unemployment as you are aware. Why are they poor and what can we do to get them out of the doldrums of poverty.”
Venaani said he will use the time to visit traditional and church leaders as well as governors of the two regions.
– jmuyamba@nepc.com.na