Oshivelo people unhappy with their lot

RESIDENTS of Oshivelo are up in arms with their political leaders, claiming that they are starving, have no work and cannot undertake income-generating projects due to lack of funds.

They blame their regional councillor, Isack Gomachab, while also claiming that government jobs in the Police and ministries of agriculture, health and the Namibia Defence Force are employing people from outside Oshivelo because Oshivelo residents have no political leaders to speak for them.The residents claim that the only leader they have is their village headman Nation Nashikaku, but he alone cannot solve their many problems.The residents say although the Guinas constituency office is situated at Oshivelo, their councillor has never held any meeting with or for them since he was elected three years ago.They allege that their requests for meetings were rejected by the councillor and they have reported him to Swapo Secretary General Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana.According to the residents, their only livelihood is street vending. There are reportedly over 150 street vendors at Oshivelo.They have set up a gardening project but it came to a standstill because they could not pay for water.The southern part of Oshivelo is mainly inhabited by members of the San community.One of them, Petrina Simon, says they struggle to put food on the table and that their children do not attend school.She says their part of Oshivelo has no electricity and lacks water.Oshivelo residents also complain about graves among their houses.Oshikoto Governor Penda yaNdakolo says he is not aware of the people’s problems because no one has told him.He referred The Namibian to the chairman of the Oshikoto Regional Council, Marx Nekongo, who also said nobody had reported the problems to him, especially the allegations that the councillor of that constituency was not working for his people.He promised to look into the people’s concerns.Councillor Gomachab says he cares for the people and regularly calls meetings but nobody attends them.He says the Office of the Prime Minister provides drought relief food to people like the San community, and encouraged people to become less reliant on handouts.According to him, Government gave land for community projects but some of the people did not want to work.’There is development at Oshivelo. Rome was not built in one day. We are adding and adding to the development of Oshivelo until we will have what we want. I think those people who are complaining and saying I am not working might have hidden agendas. Maybe they want me out from my position. I am not sitting at my house and doing nothing,’ he says.

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