Rundu: Former Deputy Prime Minister John Mutorwa has called on the leadership of the Kavango East Region and the Ministries of Health and Safety and Security to make the Kayova Toxicology Report public once it becomes available. Mutorwa appealed during a stakeholder meeting on Saturday, following the deaths of 20 people from suspected food poisoning in Ndiyona alone between 2023 and 2025.

According to Namibia Press Agency, various regional leaders, including the Kavango East Governor, the Police Regional Commander, traditional authority leaders, constituency councillors, and members of the general community, gathered to exchange ideas on how to address and reduce incidents of food poisoning in the Ndiyona constituency. Community members who spoke at the stakeholder meeting highlighted growing concerns over the delay in releasing the toxicology results. They believe the findings could shed light on the recurring food poisoning incidents in the constituency.

Mutorwa revealed that in March last year, he had written to the Ministry of Home Affairs and Immigration seeking feedback on the lab results. In response, he was informed that the Namibian Police Forensic Science Institute only acquired new testing equipment in February 2024. The scientists had to undergo training, and the equipment is currently undergoing validation. The toxicology results will only be released once this process is complete, he said.

Community members urged the Ministries of Health and Safety and Security to expedite the release of the report so that affected families can understand the cause of their loved ones' deaths and find closure. Dr. Mathias Luemba from Nyangana District Hospital explained that during such incidents, the hospital conducts tests to diagnose and treat patients. However, the toxicology samples collected by police were sent to South Africa through the forensic department in Windhoek, as local facilities cannot carry out such tests. The Windhoek forensic department is still awaiting the results, he said.