Africa-Press – Namibia. Kavango East governor Hamunyera Hambyuka, has called for collective and collaborative approach to address incidents of suspected food poisoning in the region.
Hambyuka made the remarks while addressing a press conference prompted by the latest suspected food poisoning incident that claimed the lives of two children – aged three and four – at Korokoko Village in the Ndiyona constituency on Sunday.
Following the incident, the governor requested health inspectors to visit all food outlets to ensure that expired food items are not being sold there.
“As we address this disturbing concern of suspected food poisoning in our region, I urge all of us to work together with police officers, traditional leaders and political leaders to ensure that incidents of this nature are discouraged in their entirety in our region. My office will remain open to any person willing to share and provide information that may lead to the identification and arrest of perpetrators of this heinous and shocking crime,’’ he said during the press conference.
According to preliminary investigations, the children had consumed cassava roots on Saturday at around 13h00 at home.
The investigation further revealed that the cassava roots were consumed not only by the children, but also by the entire family. The food had been prepared by the mother of one of the deceased.
Sources said that nine to 10 hours after consuming the cassava, the two children and one adult began experiencing weakness and vomiting. This led to the death of the minors, one after another.
Three other household members who also consumed the same cassava roots were taken to hospital and remain admitted at Nyangana District Hospital in a stable condition. The family of the deceased children is currently receiving psychosocial support from a social worker at the Ministry of Health and Social Services.
“Namibia cannot afford to lose precious lives of children who might one day become productive citizens contributing to the development of the country. These two lives, lost in such a dubious manner, are a major loss for Namibia. I want to state that the safety and well-being of all Namibians, regardless of their social status, is a top priority for the Namibian government,’’ he added.
“I am deeply disturbed by the alarming rise in incidents of food poisoning in the region, as this mirrors similar occurrences at Kayova Village on 27 May 2023, Livayi Village on 26 February 2024, and Ndonga Linena Village on 1 June 2024 – all of which claimed the lives of innocent young Namibians,’’ he said.
The governor urged the community of Korokoko and surrounding villages to cooperate with the investigating team and provide any information that may assist in determining the root causes of the case.
“I am hopeful that those responsible for this crime will be brought to book and face the full wrath of the law!’’ he said.
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