Walvis bay: Newly elected Erongo Regional Council Chairperson Lazarus Kanelombe has pledged to prioritise water provision, road infrastructure, housing development, and youth employment as part of a comprehensive turnaround strategy for the next five years. Addressing his maiden media conference on Friday, Kanelombe, who is the constituency councillor for Karibib, emphasized the need for urgent and coordinated action to address gaps in rural development and public service delivery.
According to Namibia Press Agency, Kanelombe highlighted the Erongo Region's status as a cosmopolitan and economically strategic hub, while acknowledging that several constituencies face significant socio-economic challenges. The council, he stated, intends to confront these challenges with urgency, data-driven planning, and decisive leadership. The latest regional profile by the Namibia Statistics Agency was cited, revealing entrenched inequalities in constituencies such as Daures, Karibib, and Omaruru, where poverty, lack of water, limited access to education, and inadequate government services persist.
Kanelombe stressed the importance of addressing these shortcomings, noting that the livelihoods of people in these constituencies will be the most crucial measure of the council's success. Resolving water shortages, particularly in Otjimbingwe, where communities have endured years of unreliable supply, is identified as a key priority. The council plans to engage NamWater and the mining sector to expedite interventions, emphasizing the necessity of securing a reliable water source urgently.
In terms of infrastructure, Kanelombe expressed the council's commitment to advocating for the upgrade of the Karibib-Otjimbingwe road to bitumen standard within the current five-year term, describing it as vital for restoring confidence in communities that have been neglected. On the economic front, he reiterated support for small-scale miners, recognizing them as the backbone of rural economic stability, and committed to collaborating with farmers who have begun producing wheat along the Omaruru River basin following improved rainfall.
The council also aims to tackle youth unemployment through the proposed Omaruru TVET centre, which is expected to create employment opportunities in key growth industries. Additionally, Kanelombe pledged to enhance the housing pipeline through partnerships with the Build Together Programme, Shack Dwellers Federation, and private sector developers, specifically targeting underdeveloped settlements such as Uis, Omatjete, and Okombahe.