Windhoek: The Kavango West Region leadership wants to halt the planned inauguration of the Nkurenkuru Vocational Training Centre as they say the centre is incomplete. The centre is set to be officially opened by Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare next Friday.

According to Namibia Press Agency, during an engagement between the Namibia Training Authority (NTA) and Kavango West political representatives at Nkurenkuru on Tuesday, Kavango West Governor Verna Sinimbo said earlier concerns about the standard of the centre had not been addressed. Sinimbo expressed surprise that some concerns previously raised were still present, indicating the region had expected upgrades to have been completed by now.

Sinimbo questioned the rush to cut the ribbon without basic facilities. She raised concerns about inaugurating the centre without essential amenities, such as a hostel, and proposed that the region formally ask the prime minister's office to halt the event until at least the first phase, including hostels, is completed.

Tondoro Constituency councillor Joseph Sikongo voiced a stronger opinion, suggesting that the inauguration be entirely scrapped. Nkurenkuru local authority councillor Gabriel Tenga also weighed in, warning that inaugurating an unfinished centre would mislead the national leadership about the true status of the project.

NTA Chief Operations Officer Epafras Shilongo explained that the inauguration date followed national processes and that current leaders must act formally if they want changes. He noted that the request for the inauguration from NTA was sent to President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah around January 2026, and they were waiting for confirmation of the date from the Office of the Prime Minister. Shilongo emphasized that any request to review the date should be submitted formally to ensure it goes through the proper channels.