Hertta-Maria Amutenja
Tragedy struck when two minor boys, who are also brothers, drowned in the Kavango River near the Mayara village in the Mukwe constituency.
The sad incident took place on Saturday.
The two, Valentinus Mangundu, 7, and Gotfred Kushonya, 4, were playing by the river while their sister was washing clothes.
Mukwe police reported that they slipped into the water and drowned.
The search for their bodies began immediately.
Mangundu’s body was found, but Kushonya’s body remains missing.
Kavango East regional governor, Bonifatius Wakudumo, confirmed the incident’s impact.
“The whole community is affected by this incident. It affects everyone morally, spiritually, and mentally because people usually do their laundry at the river and take their children with them,” said Wakudumo.
He highlighted the challenges faced by the community in accessing safe water sources.
“The distance between where the borehole is drilled and the furthest community member is very far, and the closest water source to them is the river. People often opt for the nearest water source rather than travelling far for water,” Wakudumo said.
The distance between Rundu and Divundu is 200 km.
He added that the community is currently awaiting the completion of a water purification plant in Rundu, which will eventually supply water through pipelines to localities.
Wakudumo also emphasised the need for safety measures around rivers.
“At an individual level, we should avoid taking small children to the river for any activities. It would be better to leave them at the homesteads or have adults supervise them,” he said.
The Kavango East regional crime investigations coordinator, Bonifatius Kanyetu, also confirmed the details of the incident.
The search for Kushonya’s body continues.
