Many in Kavango East without national documents: Mbambo

RUNDU, 29 MAY  – Despite progress made by the Ministry of Home Affairs and Immigration with the automation of birth and death registration, many people in rural areas in the Kavango East Region do not have national documents.

This was said by Kavango East Governor, Samuel Mbambo during his State of the Region Address here on Tuesday, where he delivered a report on the region’s socio-economic development.

“The lack of national documents for many people means not benefiting from Government services,” Mbambo said.

He added that the ministry has however made some progress and issued 10 682 birth certificates and 10 087 identification documents in the region for 2017/18.

The governor further said for the 2017/2018 financial year, budget cuts left the region with a deficit of 35,7 per cent, meaning some essential projects were not completed while work on several others could not commence.

“This is a challenge,” the governor said.
He further noted challenges such as a lack of rural access roads for small-scale farmers, saying that adequate funding is required for the development of roads in communal farming areas.

Inadequate rural electrification was another challenge mentioned, as was a lack of markets for products of small-scale farmers and inadequate potable water.

Mbambo said although there are markets such as the Food Namibia Expo and the Agro-Marketing and Trade Agency, farmers in especially the rural constituencies still struggle to access the market.
NAMPA