Mashazi Mahoto

WINDHOEK – A total of 2 532 households in the Zambezi Region has benefited from government’s drought relief programme from June until August this year, authorities in the region confirmed. 

Zambezi Chief Regional Officer Regina Ndopu-Lubinda made the revelation this week.
The region has eight constituencies of which only seven are benefiting, excluding Katima Urban. The targeted beneficiaries residing in one household should not receive a combined income of more than N$2600 and must not be benefiting from government’s other intervention programmes like old age, disability, and war veterans grants including private pensions and other income sources during that period, Ndopu-Lubinda said. 

She added that 247 farmers have also benefited with cattle fodder from the programme. The population of the region stood at 90 596, of which 62 234 reside outside Katima Urban Constituency, according to the 2011 national household census.
“The drought relief programme continues as defined by government,” she concluded. 

* Mashazi Mahoto is a second-year media student at the University of Namibia currently on internship at New Era.