A fire that destroyed N$1.6 million in property at Andara village in the Kavango East region has exposed gaps in firefighting services in the Mukwe constituency, with leaders calling for urgent intervention.
They warn that lives, businesses and public infrastructure are at risk.
Andara Lodge owner Isdor Muronga says the damage could have been less severe had there been a functioning firefighting station nearby.
The nearest firefighting vehicle is stationed at Divundu, about 25km from Andara, but was not functional at the time of the fire.
Divundu Village Council chairperson Athanasius Maghjumbo confirmed to The Namibian on Wednesday that the firefighting vehicle was not operational following an accident earlier this year.
Muronga says the fire was reported when only one room was burning.
Following the incident, local leaders are calling for improved emergency response services in the constituency.
Mukwe constituency councillor Augusta Katembo calls for 24-hour emergency response units at every constituency office to attend to the emergencies.
She says fires in the constituency have become common. In July alone, two fires broke out in the constituency, destroying property and leaving nothing recoverable, she said yesterday.
“A teacher’s room at Mayara Combined School burnt recently while she was in a briefing. She recovered nothing from it,” she said.
Katembo said when people lose their property in the fire, they expect the constituency offices to assist them, but the office has nothing to give.
“They expect us to provide food, clothes or even blankets. But there is nothing we can do. We really need these services in rural areas,” she said.
Former Mukwe constituency councillor and chairperson of the Kavango East Regional Council Damian Maghambayi says relying on a single vehicle is a challenge.
He says emergencies can happen without warning and that delays in response could result in extensive damage.
“There are schools, a mall and offices in the village. At least we should have two or three vehicles so that when the other has issues, the next can work,” he says.
Maghambayi says it is important that emergency response be made available because no one can account for the damages.
He recalls a previous incident involving a shop in the area which completely burnt down because there were no emergency services to attend the fire.
“It can be a school or a government institution. By the time you reach out to Rundu emergency services, which is 200km away, the damage is already severe,” he says.
He calls on the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development to work with relevant authorities to discuss mechanisms on how to provide fire equipment.
The fire at Andara Lodge destroyed six completed rooms that Muronga says he spent years building.
The lodge was expected to open its first phase in December and was intended to provide an income for Muronga and his family, while also creating employment opportunities at the village.
He says he had invested more than N$3 million in the project over the years.
