Oshikoto residents wantregion divided in two

. . . Second region should be named ‘Oshikoto West’

The inhabitants of the Oshikoto region are proposing that the region be split in two.

Residents have submitted this proposal to the Boundaries Delimitation and Demarcation Commission of Namibia.

The new region should be known as Oshikoto West, the proposal states.

The concerned residents are calling for a new region in the spirit of aiding and accelerating proper and balanced developmental planning, and strengthening the country’s regional planning and governance at regional and local level.

Uugulu Indileni, the chairperson of the Omuntele Youth Forum, speaking on behalf of the inhabitants, says the new region should comprise areas between the Oshana, Oshikoto and Ohangwena regions, and areas of which the inhabitants are finding it difficult to access the capitals of these three regions.

He made these recommendations to the commission at Omuthiya last week.

“At independence, most of our government services in northern Namibia were concentrated in one area (Ondangwa), and this has a historical impact on the immediate settlements around Ondangwa and their dependence on Ondangwa for daily service needs.

“Rightfully so, with the creation of the Regional Councils Act, a policy aimed at bringing the government closer to people, these dynamics changed.

“Over the years, the populations of areas and settlements around Ondangwa continued to grow, hence this proposal of creating a new region,” he said.

Indileni said people from Onayena, Olukonda and Oniipa in the Oshikoto region, people from the larger part of Omulonga and south-west of Eenhana in the Ohangwena region, and people from the Okagali, UukwiyuUshona, Okaku and Ondangwa Rural constituencies in the Oshana region get most of their daily basic services and urban amenities from Ondangwa.

He said the respective governors’ offices are very far from some residents, and they often miss out on opportunities and information due to this.

The new region would have about 1,1 million inhabitants, Indileni said.

“In terms of geographical area, the Oshana region is the smallest, and this proposal would make it smaller, but with two strong and growing urban centres of Oshakati and Ongwediva.

“The big population in the mentioned areas and constituencies, as well as the long distances covered in search of public institutions, services and goods covered by the residents in the Olukonda, Oniipa, Omulonga, Onayena, Okatyali, Ondangwa Urban and Rural as well as Okaku constituencies to either Oshakati, Omuthiya or Eenhana instead of Ondangwa, is one of the motivating factors for this submission.

‘CLOSER TO THE PEOPLE’

“It is our utmost belief that by creating this proposed new region, the ideals and principles of the decentralisation policy and the Regional Councils Act of bringing government closer to the people would be strengthened and enhanced.

“There is a need for a new region to be created from and between Oshana, Oshikoto and Ohangwena to bring public institutions, services, and goods to the people in these respective constituencies.”

Ondangwa, which is historically a central town, has developed tremendously over the years and accommodates all the urban infrastructure to support government services.

The town hosts many underutilised government buildings, Indileni said.

“This proposal is less expensive for the government to bring services closer to the people. Ondangwa is to be the regional headquarters of Oshikoto West,” he said.

Indileni said the concerned community members have consulted a number of stakeholders, such as the Ondonga Traditional Authority, the regional governors of the Oshana, Oshikoto and Ohangwena regions, the regional councils of the three affected regions, the Ondangwa and Oniipa town councils, community members, church leaders and the business community.

The chairperson of the fifth Boundaries Delimitation and Demarcation Commission, judge Petrus Unongo, who received the proposal, said the commission would analyse all the proposals and make recommendations to the president.

He said the outcomes would be communicated at a later stage.