Martin Endjala
Following weeks without running water, the Ongaaka village in the Omuthiya Constituency, Oshikoto region, has had its water supply restored.
Emilia Tobias, a member of the community member confirmed this on Tuesday.
For several weeks, the village has been without water, forcing many community members to walk long distances to the nearest village to fetch water.
She told Windhoek Observer that all taps are now running throughout the day, and she is grateful to all those who heard their cry and came to their aid.
“Yes, the water is back, but it is not running fast and used to run during the day and sometimes only at night. However, there is finally water. I appreciate all the effort that went into calling all relevant people. I am happy. Although some people are saying it is a political game. It is not a political game because the officials came here to the village and saw the taps,” she said.
Tobias argued that, despite the existence of a solution to their problem, they continue to endure hardship.
The officials were unable to answer.
In an effort to understand the sudden availability of water and the problem, the publication contacted Omuthiya Constituency councillor Samuel Shivute, but phone calls and messages went unanswered.
Earlier this month, Windhoek Observer reported that the Ongaaka village residents have been facing a shortage of water because the wells used by the villagers, ran dry.
At the time, Tobias said the village had been facing the same issue for many years, to the point where it led to the closure of a school hostel, forcing learners to leave the hostel and attend school like other learners who normally walk from home to school, due to a shortage of water.
Tobias said most of the wells in the village and surrounding area have run dry, or the water is not good for human consumption due to its brackishness.
Aletta Eises, the region’s director of education, claims that the school’s water shortage is a result of the school’s usual assistance to affected villages, as students frequently need water to get from home to school.
On a lighter note, the Ministry of Agriculture, Water, and Land Reform (MAWLR) last week announced an invitation for bidders.
To tender was for the installation of boreholes in many parts of the country, particularly in rural areas where severe water shortages continuously occur.
Jona Musheko, the ministry spokesperson, explained that the initiative is one of many ongoing efforts by the ministry to address water scarcity in the affected regions.
