Khorixas
At a community meeting here on Thursday Khorixas Constituency Councillor Elias Xoagub donated 780 bundles of grass in response to the dire drought conditions in the Khorixas area. The donation was worth more than N$70 000 when transport costs are factored in.
“While waiting for government assistance, please take this. I bought this (grass bundles) with my own money, so take it with peace and love,” Xoagub told the attendants, who consisted of traditional authority representatives of the Dauredaman, #Aodaman, Riemvasmaker and /Gaiodaman, as well as a group of local farmers, amongst others.
Xoagub said he also donated money to some schools a few weeks earlier and encouraged others who wanted to buy more grass bundles as part of the drought relief effort to do so.
Xoagub was asked by several attendees what he has done to address the severe drought situation in Khorixas areas over the previous eight months. He said he inherited the situation and was still planning how best to address it.
Chairperson of Ada Khaibasen committee Jocobeth Futika further asked: “What are your plans since you inherited it? What are your priorities?”
Jonathan #Awoseb asked who Xoagub had sought assistance from and what plans he had developed during the eight months since he took over as constituency councillor. In several instances Xoagub said his office was still engaged in planning.
The attendees were also told that N$50 000 is available from Kunene Regional Council and that Xoagub has decided to invest it in ameliorating the impact of the drought. He asked those in attendance to make a decision on how to use that money by holding public consultations.
Local farmer Gideon Gurirab suggested the Kunene Region should seek assistance – such as the Erongo Region’s leaders have done – by approaching companies and mines to make donations to the relieve the drought situation.
“We must stop the culture of being silent. After 26 years of independence we cannot say leaders must not be questioned. We elected them. Thus we must ask our elected officials what they have done,” Gurirab said.
He further advised local farmers to hold meetings, to sign a petition and to seek assistance from the Chinese Embassy, as well as approach the minister of land reform to resettle farmers on some of the farms that government buys yearly.
“We must be thankful to see two trucks with the grass loaded. We see when it’s difficult he (Xoagub) digs deeper into his pockets and uses money, which his wife and children would have benefited from,” Khorixas Mayor Gerson //Goagoseb said.
One of the farmers said he was thankful to Xoagub for buying the grass for them, but asked what the government thinks about them (Kunene south farmers). He questioned whether government leaders know that Kunene South is drought-stricken. He said only northern Kunene receives assistance. “What is Khorixas Constituency getting? Is the government misinformed that we are stronger,” he asked.
Attendees at the meeting, which was attended by more than 100 people, thanked Xoagub, but expressed concern about what they consider the lacklustre response from the government to the deteriorating drought situation in Kunene South.