Communities in the Ncuncuni constituency in the Kavango West region say they have renewed trust and hope in independent councillor Michael Naiteta.
Naiteta’s rise from village headman to elected representative has inspired expectations of long-delayed development, clean water access, improved documentation services and critical infrastructure upgrades.
Naiteta participated in the regional council and local authority elections on 26 November where he emerged victorious with 1 179 votes, followed by Swapo candidate Leopoldine Nseu with 723 and Independent Patriots for Change’s Elizabeth Muronga with 50 votes.
He was declared the incoming councillor of the Ncuncuni constituency in the Kavango West region by the Electoral Commission of Namibia.
Naiteta says his decision to stand for office was driven by the hardships he observed across villages – from residents without national documents to families still depending on unsafe water sources.
Naiteta, who currently serves as a project coordinator at Rundu Vocational Training Centre, grew up at Gcwatjinga village before pursuing studies in quantity surveying and construction management in South Africa.
He served as headman of Gcwatjinga for nearly five years, a role he says strengthened his commitment to community-centred leadership.
“I have seen parents and young people suffering because they lack national documents.
Without documents, you cannot study further, you cannot apply for work and you cannot benefit from any government programme,” he says.
He adds that many elders and children at Ncuncuni have lived for decades without proper identification.
“If I don’t stand up and do something, then who will? Even if I fail, let it be said that I raised my hand and tried to change things,” Naiteta says.
Water access remains among his immediate priorities.
Naiteta expresses concern that residents in several villages still drink from wells and unsafe sources.
“If this was my own mother or father drinking from a well, would it not hurt me?” he asks.
He also criticises the unequal distribution of social grants, describing the situation as unfair and harmful to vulnerable households.
Naiteta vows to address the long-neglected road connecting villages across the constituency, a route once used by missionaries, yet untouched in modern development plans.
“The project from Ndonga Linena to Mavanze was supposed to begin. Everything was in place, but it never took off.
My role will be to find out what happened and ensure it is revived,” he says.
“My legacy must include progress on that road, whether 10, 15 or 50 kilometres.”
He stresses the need for feeder roads, expanded farming support and horticulture development, noting that Nguni’s fertile soil remains underutilised.
Villagers say Naiteta demonstrated consistent engagement throughout his campaign, visiting households, holding meetings and listening to concerns firsthand.
A resident from Mavanze, Paulus Kafuro, says a true leader listens to the people, sits with them and understands their struggles.
“A leader must be among the people, not far from them.”
He adds that Naiteta’s humility made him relatable to villagers.
“His way of speaking, his openness – you can see he understands the people,” Kafuro notes.
Sharukwe resident Johannes Mpoko urges the councillor to prioritise projects that have been stalled for decades.
“We have trust and belief in the leader we elected,” he says.
Mpoko calls on the constituency office to strengthen cooperation with village headmen and community development committees to identify urgent needs.
“Boreholes, horticulture gardens, upgrading the gravel road to tar, and an electricity supply, these are the major projects we expect the new leader to revive,” he adds.
Ncuncuni resident Ambrosius Nyangana describes the new councillor as their only hope for effective representation.
“We have seen developments and transformation in other constituencies, but here? Nothing changed ever since the late councillor Herbert Shixwameni who brought the current developments we have,” Nyangana notes.
