Kavango: Residents and local leaders in Kavango West have raised concerns over the government's plan to draw up to 35 million cubic metres of water a year from the Kavango River for the Kavango-Grootfontein link water supply project. During an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment meeting at Mururani village in the Mankumpi Constituency on Tuesday, community members said the scheme appears to benefit central Namibia more than people living along the riverbanks, who persistently face a water crisis.

According to Namibia Press Agency, Kapako Constituency councillor Augustinus Kupembona said communities felt sidelined in a decision he believes has already been taken, questioning why officials were consulting people 'if the decision had already been approved by Cabinet, without the community having much to say.' Nkurenkuru Town Council councillor Gabriel Tenga echoed fears that such a costly pipeline prioritises urban centres ahead of rural river communities, warning that people along the Kavango still struggle to get safe water at the household level.

Tenga accused the government of poor priorities, saying it is wrong to spend billions piping water away while families along the river still drink untreated water at home. He warned that without strong controls, pumps promised to run only in the rainy season could quietly operate '24 hours' when the river is low, and called for clear policies, community agreements and local committees to monitor abstraction.

Consulting engineer James Turner told community members that three bulk-supply options were studied and 'the Kavango link' was found to be the most cost-effective, saying water from other sources would cost about three times more. He said about 35 million cubic metres would be pumped annually during the flood season only, describing it as 'a teaspoon from a two-litre bottle' of the river's total flow.

NamWater spokesperson Lot Ndamanomhata said the project, endorsed by Cabinet in early 2024, is in an advanced planning stage, with engineering designs completed and environmental assessments underway. He stressed that the project is intended to secure a steady water supply for central Namibia, which faces chronic shortages due to frequent droughts, unreliable rainfall and pressure on existing sources, and has recorded water deficits for more than a decade (since 2013).