Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila last week asked those who received drought relief food to stop selling the food.

Kuugongelwa-Amadhila made the remarks when she received a N$200 000 donation from Swakop Uranium destined for the Emergency Relief Fund aimed at assisting the government to provide relief aid to communities affected by the drought and other natural disasters.

“We must ensure that the commodities are put to good use. Those distributing the food and the beneficiaries must ensure that –because we have learned that there are some beneficiaries who sell the food and use them for not so good things,” said the prime minister.

Those who make the donations, Kuugongelwa-Amadhila said, could have used the money for other things but they chose to help government “so we must make sure the donation is used for its intended purpose”.

Senior officials from Swakop Uranium led by the company’s Chief Executive Officer Zheng Keping handed the donation to Kuugongelwa-Amadhila in Windhoek.

With Cabinet having authorized the implementation of an interim drought relief programme for 417 944 drought-stricken Namibians, the premier urged the private sector to emulate the example set by Swakop Uranium and promised that any donation would be used for its intended purpose.

She announced that government intends to drill 32 boreholes in Omaheke, Kunene, Kavango East, Kavango West and Zambezi by the end of next month.

Zheng said the contribution is aimed at assisting government in catering to the needs of communities affected by the drought.

“The Swakopmund Uranium Foundation supports the Namibian government’s initiatives aimed at addressing the social needs of Namibian people, and Swakop Uranium seeks out opportunities to make a difference at grassroots level, in particular the Erongo Region where the Husab mine is situated,” said Zheng.