Government must provide electricity to the rural dwellers

Editor’s Opinion

FOR three and half decades , government of the Republic of Namibia has been making promises on how to bring development to all Namibians by the year 2030 through its developmental dream policies , which of a sadden this dream has proven that it will not be realised.

Most of the rural community  and urban settlers ,  those who are living in the informal settlements of our towns and villages have been living in the darkness without access to electricity. Which of course makes it difficult to make their life easier to be self-sustainable with God given free resources at their door steps.

Almost five years more left, Namibia shall be reaching 2030 , the goal which Namibia has set in its Vision 2030 long-term development plan.

For instance, in Zambezi region only a few individuals or villages have benefited from the rural electrification program instituted by the government through the Ministry of Mines and Energy. This is totally a disaster which shows that probably many residents are living in poverty and they are poor since they cannot afford to pay services (Transformers) for the installation of electricity in their households by NORED.

 This shows that this segment of our society is not rendered services at their disposal to boost the profitability of NamPower and NORED as State Owned Enterprises in Namibia.

I would like to disagree with the Minister of Mines and Energy , Mr. Tom Alweendo on his approach of providing electricity to government institutions only and those residents who are residing at about 500 meters – radius that this is not being followed in Zambezi region , as the contractor who was awarded a tender by NamPower to do the job , did not do it accordingly  as most of the villagers, charitable organisations and traditional khutas  were left out  or did not benefit from the project.

Therefore , this approach should be looked differently that all people should be erected with electricity despite of any classifications of who is who.

Only 10 government institutions such as schools , especially those located in the flood prone areas which are flooding every year need to be treated differently either they should be supplied with other alternatives such as solar panels , gas and generators in order to avoid the waste of scarce resources.     

The allocation of N$17.8 million for rural electrification in Zambezi by the Ministry of Mines and Energy is a blessing once again in a region which is  neglected.

Before the start of this project, we would like to caution that this should not be like the failed project implemented by NamPower with its contractor in 2016 , where some of the conservancies’ in Zambezi were supplied with electricity infrastructures  but up to now they are idle or turned into a white elephant as they are not functional.

At this time around we are cognisant of the fact that every constituency councillor has a need for his people.

Rural Reform

Perhaps , the fear by the government not to give more powers to regions will automatically deprive rural dwellers with opportunities of development.

Funds availed or allocated by the line ministries for capital projects in the region have been fizzled out, never used for its purpose or returned back to state treasury.   

The implementation of the National Policy of Decentralisation of 1997 is moving slowly because only few government ministries have agreed to decentralise some of their functions  to regional councils while the rest of their functions and powers are still at the central government in Windhoek.

However, some political critics have mooted out that the concept of decentralisation is unconstitutional in a unitary state like Namibia ,  as it only promotes federal system and regionalism. Therefore , this has  dragged or influenced some line ministries  not  to devolve functions and powers to regional councils in this country.

Residents of the rural villages and local authorities are key players in the participatory democracy such as elections, because they are the majority but they are unfortunately neglected after they are used during elections, and they remain not empowered economically.