You are liars – Swapo told at Mix settlement

“Liars, liars! I’ve lived here for 24 years, and nothing,” a frustrated Mix settlement resident said during a Swapo rally where central committee member Tobie Aupindi addressed residents over the weekend.

Aupindi promised service delivery at Mix settlement.

The settlement also needs public toilets, a clinic, schools, a police station, a playground, open market and a community hall.

“When we are talking about national development, just know we mean it. We are not joking. We have made a decision that there is going to be national development here,” he told the group of about 50 people.

Aupindi told the residents that Swapo gave their corrugated iron shacks numbers.

“Roads are demarcated. I am told a school is in the national programme. There will also be traffic lights, including water and the connection of electricity to the national grid. Is that not true? Even a clinic.

“Now you have a mobile clinic. There is already an advanced plan for a clinic to be constructed. When we are talking about national development, there are pretenders and there is the Swapo party that has already done national development,” he said.

However, a resident disagreed and was asked to leave the meeting, but refused and slapped Swapo branch coordinator Bonifatius Munango.

The resident was upset when Khomas governor Laura McLeod-Katjirua took the floor to address the meeting.

‘VIOLENCE NOT THE ANSWER’

Political commentator Ndumba Kamwanyah says violence is not the answer, but Namibians are weary of their socio-economic circumstances.

He cautions that similar interactions could be expected across the country.

“That is a reflection of empty promises that political parties make, not just Swapo. Swapo being the ruling and governing party, people are more angry at them because of the lack of service delivery,” he says.

The analyst says political parties should be realistic in terms of what they promise during elections.

“But worse is that they promise during election campaigns, but they don’t go back to those people and explain the progress they are making or the challenges they are facing.

“They are waiting for the next election campaign, and they promise and promise and promise,” Kamwanyah says.

Last year, Mix settlement residents asked the municipality how long they would have to wait for basic services, like water and sanitation facilities.

“The department is busy with the roll-out of communal sanitation units and communal prepaid water points in the informal settlements, with the current five-year programme expected to be completed by June 2025.

“The constituencies of Tobias Hainyeko, Moses Garoëb, Samora Machel, Khomasdal, Windhoek Rural, Katutura East and the markets are included in this plan,” the city said in its consolidated feedback report in November.

Residents have previously asked for public transport, since they cannot afford private transport.

“It is the City of Windhoek’s wish to provide a reliable, safe and affordable public transport service that offers greater coverage throughout the entire city, including Mix settlement.

“However, in the absence of essential funding from the central government, the city at present does not have the capacity in terms of resources such as buses and drivers available to achieve this goal,” the report reads