Africa-Press – Namibia. Urban and Rural Development Minister James Sankwasa has called an urgent meeting with the Kayuwo Village Development Committee, the Kongola Constituency Councilor, and residents to address delays in the Kongola Settlement Development Project.
The meeting is expected to focus on the causes of the prolonged delays, budget allocations, and accountability for funds disbursed to the Zambezi Regional Council over the years.
Recently, the Kongola community protested the provisional withdrawal of a case in which over N$4 million allegedly vanished into thin air at the Zambezi Regional Council.
Zambezi’s chief regional officer Regina Ndopu-Lubinda and other senior officials’ corruption charges were provisionally withdrawn in the Katima Mulilo Regional Court late last year.
Ndopu-Lubinda and her co-accused, regional director for planning and rural development Beaven Walubita, deputy director for planning and rural development Cletius Mubita, chief development planner Daniel Mbala, deputy director for administration Abraham Shikoyeni as well as chief accountant Nimrod Lichela were arrested in October last year by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
They were all charged with two counts of corruptly using the office for gratification and conspiracy to commit offences.
However, the court ruling has angered those who were supposed to benefit from the alleged missing millions.
Surprisingly, their case was brought back on the Katima Mulilo court roll on Friday.
The corruption case was transferred to Oshakati High Court where the accused are expected to appear on 15 October 2025 for plea and trial.
The Kongola community said the money was intended to build streets, install streetlights, de-bush the settlement area, and install sewage pipes at the sleepy settlement.
In an official communication from the Minister’s office dated 10 October 2025, Sankwasa acknowledged receiving urgent concerns from the Kayuwo Village Development Committee regarding the stalled development of Kongola, a settlement proclaimed more than 17 years ago.
The Minister emphasised the need for immediate engagement to resolve “operational matters” currently under his attention. “I request for an urgent consultative meeting with honorable Bennety Busihu [Kongola councillor], the Kayuwo Development Committee, and members of the community,” the letter stated.
This response follows a formal request dated 8 September 2025, from the Kayuwo Village Development Committee and the Kongola Economic Empowerment Group, led by Geoffrey Tukuhupwele and Shebo Glenn, respectively.
In their letter addressed to the Minister, the community leaders expressed deep frustration over the lack of visible progress since Kongola was proclaimed a settlement alongside Bukalo nearly two decades ago.
“For more than 17 years, annual budgets have been dished out by the central government, yet nothing and literally nothing has taken place in Kongola,” the community leaders expressed.
The leaders complained that the people of Kongola feels cheated by the Zambezi Regional Council despite its strategic position as the gateway to Central Africa. “The masses and electorates have lost hope and trust in how their funds are being utilized,” they added.
The Kayuwo committee requested a public audience with the Minister, appealing for transparency and a two-week notice to allow for community mobilisation.
The petitioners also extended congratulations to President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, for her recent cabinet appointments and expressed confidence in Sankwasa’s ability to “clean the mess within the regional, municipal, and village councils.” [email protected]
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