Martin Endjala
Popular Democratic Movement leader, McHenry Venaani has questioned Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila’s response to the 891 houses that remain unoccupied.
The Prime Minister cited court challenges for the delay in the allocation of the houses, when addressing a Swapo campaign rally at Swakopmund at the weekend.
However, Venaani refused to accept this as an excuse, saying government should look at alternatives to resolve the hold-up while the court dispute is ongoing. He suggested that a new contractor be brought in to complete the houses in view of the pressing housing backlog.
“The Prime Minister has said nothing, I am going to write to her on Wednesday to tell her that we want concrete dates (for allocation),” Venaani stated.
Vennaani questioned how the dispute could be going on for seven years without a solution, saying that the issue is not treated with the urgency it requires.
Venaani expressed these views in a telephonic interview with the Windhoek Observer today.
The Prime Minister’s response is also contained in a letter dated 3rd August 2022, in which she stressed that the ongoing court disputes of subcontractors, has hindered the completion of the houses, hence, people are not yet allocated due to the powers of separation.
She also explained that the government is making all-round efforts in resolving the dispute in order to attend to the urgently needed completion of houses and their allocation to the beneficiary.
She also revealed that the government has taken actions against the main contractor for performances infringements.
Kuugongelwa-Amadhila also downplayed the PDM leader’s assertions in his letter that the government has failed to vigorously and comprehensively deal with the housing issues in the country and that it lacks political will.
The government she said reiterated launched an integrated program of housing development,
which included, build together programs, National Housing Enterprise programs, housing development by the GIPF, Government employees housing schemes and the DBN funding land servicing and housing development.
The government’s plans, she said, are very clear, where unequivocal commitments have been made to resolve housing problems particularly in the informal settlements.
Of the 891 uncompleted houses, 505 are in Swakopmund, 326 in Windhoek and 24 are in Opuwo.
