Stefanus Nashama
Landless People’s Movement (LPM) northern central region office has claimed unfair distribution of drought relief food in the Eenhana constituency of the Ohangwena region.
According to LPM Political Action Committee Member, Silas Moses, about 25 people were denied food because they were wearing the party’s regalia during the handover ceremony last year.
Moses yesterday told Windhoek Observer that LPM received complaints from members of the Opalasha community regarding the unfair distribution of the drought relief food.
“Community members were asked to burn the LPM t-shirts or remove the clothing or else they must go and get the food from the party which gave them the t-shirts,” he stated.
According to Moses, last week Monday, they wrote a letter to Ohangwena Regional Governor, Walde Ndevashiya, to look into the matter but the governor has not responded to date.
“It is with great concern that the people in Ohangwena region, Eenhana to be specific are scavenging for their daily survival on the unsanitary dumpsite for food. There is nothing more painful for any human being than going to bed on a hungry stomach. Hunger is a very painful phenomenon to those that are subjected to it,” he said.
Moses conveyed that people in positions of leadership seem to have no empathy towards the most vulnerable members of the region.
“It is inhumane to witness, in a politically independent and supposed unified nation, people suffering,” he stressed.
At the same time, Mosses claimed people are suffering in the region while leaders voted in leadership positions show signs of carelessness and ignorance of the realities on the ground.
“We will not stop bothering the governor until the dignity of the concerned people is restored.
It is inhuman to refuse to give people food because of their political affiliation,” he remarked.
When asked why the 25 people went to receive food in party regalia, Moses pushed the response into the ‘lack of understanding zone’ amongst members.
“Sometimes, people do not understand when and where to put on party clothes, they just do it without understanding what they are doing. It is not like they went there to campaign or demonstrate, However, even if they were wearing the party t-shirts, they are still entitled to the drought relief food,” he stated.
Moses called on the Governor to instruct the Regional Councilors to ensure people were not starving due to political affiliation.
“Writing to the governor is the rightful decision because he is in the right position to instruct the regional councillors, and explain to them the procedure of giving draught food relief in line with ministries and specifically the Office of the Prime Minister,” he reasoned.
Mosses urged that leaders should not only be visible during political campaigns and throw the voters into the abyss thereafter.
Several attempts to get comments from Ohangwena Regional Governor, Walde Ndevashiya, were not successful.
