LPM irked by underdevelopment at Rundu

Landless People’s Movement (LPM) leader Bernadus Swartbooi has denounced the alleged destruction of shacks at Rundu without any reparation paid to the victims by the Rundu Town Council.

Swartbooi said the LPM finds this practice to be inhumane, unlawful and a means to destroy the social fabric of society.
He was speaking during a media conference at Rundu on Tuesday.

“Land is an important social and economic aspect of life. It is the main means of production. It is the central umbilical cord with citizenship and denying or depriving citizens legitimate access to and ownership is an unacceptable act.

“Thus, we vehemently condemn the actions of the Rundu Town Council as their actions are tantamount to keeping the inhabitants of Rundu in abject poverty,” said Swartbooi.

Rundu Town Council spokesperson Benjamin Makayi has denied the allegations made by the LPM against the council.

“The LPM must provide us with a list of names, show us the location and in which informal settlement we have demolished shacks and displaced people without compensation. Because from my knowledge, the council has never demolished shacks,” said Makayi.

Swartbooi also decried the lack of sufficient education infrastructure at the town, where last year over 600 children were taught in tents at the Rundu Project School and classrooms accommodated up to 114 children.

According to Swartbooi, the government has turned a blind eye to the closure of schools such as the John Mutorwa Secondary School that was established by unemployed teachers and hosted about 270 pupils, while the problem of overcrowding has not been resolved.

He called on the central government to inject more development funding into Rundu and the Kavango East region as it is one of the highest growth points in the country.