Kamanjab Police Station battles power cuts

THE Kamanjab police station has been operating on a diesel generator for a month after power supplies were cut due to an unpaid electricity bill.

The diesel generator is said to only power the prisoners’ holding cells and the police station, leaving the police barracks without electricity. The officers residing at the barracks are forced to connect a cable to a nearby police station office to have access to power.

Police chief inspector Raymond de Klerk, the Kamanjab Police Station commander, told that they use electricity from a diesel generator.

“We have electricity. Check there,” De Klerk said, pointing to an electricity bulb which was switched on in his office. A source said the Kamanjab Police Station owes the Cenored about N$20 000. This is not the first time that electricity supplies to the police station have been cut in the past five years.

The Namibian was also alerted by an officer (name withheld) that the prisoners have been without food for months and had to rely on maize meal from the school feeding programme. The trial-awaiting prisoners have also for the past weeks been without toilet paper.

Kunene regional police commander, chief inspector James Nderura, when contacted for comment, asked why The Namibian was interfering in state affairs. “There is a generator there, we have electricity,” Nderura said. Nderura also said that it was not true that there was no food for inmates.