Okahandja mayor unveils bold strategic plan

Okahandja mayor Beatrice Kotungondo says the strategic planning process recently undertaken by the municipality was an opportunity to listen to the concerns of stakeholders and community members.

She said this at the launch of the Okahandja strategic plan on Friday.

“We intentionally embarked on this strategic planning process with a heartfelt consultation with our stakeholders. It was an opportunity for us to lend our ears to the concerns, hopes and aspirations of our cherished community and valued stakeholders,” Kotungondo said.

She said the strategic plan offers a unique chance for Okahandja to join hands and address issues and to “build a brighter future for every soul at Okahandja” together with stakeholders and community members.

The mayor said the strategic plan is fortified with a balanced scorecard, a tool that would ensure plans are executed, monitored and reviewed consistently.

Speaking at the same event, deputy Okahandja mayor Akser Aupindi said the Covid-19 pandemic played a major role in the delay in the development of the strategic plan.

He commended everyone who played a role in the development of the plan, including minister of urban and rural development Erastus Uutoni, Okahandja chief executive Alphons Tjitombo and strategic plan coordinator and industrial relations officer Lilly Shilongo, among others.

“With our collective efforts and unwavering commitment, I am confident we can overcome challenges, seize opportunities and build a brighter and more prosperous future for generations to come,” he said.

In addition to launching the strategic plans for 2024 to 2029, the municipality also handed over houses to shack dwellers at the town’s Ekunde 4 and 5 areas.

Tina Eises, a resident of the Ekunde 5 area, was selected as one of the beneficiaries of a pilot housing project.

“I am grateful. At least one day when I go from this earth, I will have something to leave my children,” she said.