Caprivi Village’s Long Wait For A Borehole

THIS is an open letter to the Minister of Agriculture and Water Affairs about the NOLIDEP programme.For the past few years the Government has been assisting communities countrywide to improve their water infrastructures through the NOLIDEP programme.

The communities were required to contribute a certain percentage of the costs towards the programme. My village here in the Caprivi was also engaged in the programme.We were informed in the usual manner to contribute the required portion of the money.Our community, peasants though they may be, managed to sell cattle.Each family in my village sold one head of cattle towards this project.After raising the money we approached the offices and we were told that we would be considered.Late in 2003, we were informed that our borehole would be drilled.We waited and waited but nothing came about.Towards the beginning of last year we were told that the programme had stopped and that we would be considered in the next phase of the new programme, to be known as NALIDEP.We agreed.But it is now over a year without anything happening.Rivers are drying up, and our cattle are dying as a result of the drought in some areas.We need help.It is not only our village that is sitting with money we have collected; many villages are in the same situation as us.It is very serious problem here in Caprivi.We were promised to get a borehole if our make a contribution.We sold our cattle to make contributions and now we have to wait indefinitely.Can you please instruct your officials to help the communities which are willing to help themselves as was promised.Can you please inform us as to when the next phase of this programme would be starting.We cannot sit with money indefinitely.We need direction, Mr Minister.Ndyaya Mufwanzala Via e-mailMy village here in the Caprivi was also engaged in the programme.We were informed in the usual manner to contribute the required portion of the money.Our community, peasants though they may be, managed to sell cattle.Each family in my village sold one head of cattle towards this project.After raising the money we approached the offices and we were told that we would be considered.Late in 2003, we were informed that our borehole would be drilled.We waited and waited but nothing came about.Towards the beginning of last year we were told that the programme had stopped and that we would be considered in the next phase of the new programme, to be known as NALIDEP.We agreed.But it is now over a year without anything happening.Rivers are drying up, and our cattle are dying as a result of the drought in some areas.We need help.It is not only our village that is sitting with money we have collected; many villages are in the same situation as us.It is very serious problem here in Caprivi.We were promised to get a borehole if our make a contribution.We sold our cattle to make contributions and now we have to wait indefinitely.Can you please instruct your officials to help the communities which are willing to help themselves as was promised.Can you please inform us as to when the next phase of this programme would be starting.We cannot sit with money indefinitely.We need direction, Mr Minister.Ndyaya Mufwanzala Via e-mail