Paralympic sports in Kavango East needs support: Litwayi

RUNDU, 05 NOV – President of the National Paralympic Committee of Namibia, Johannes Litwayi has called on the leadership of the Kavango East Region to support Paralympic athletes in the region.

Litwayi said this at an event held on Friday by the Kavango East Directorate of Education, Arts and Culture to recognise Paralympic athletes who represented the region at the 2018 Namibia Sports Awards and Disability Sport awards.
Beatha Hausiku, 17, won the junior sportswoman with disability award in athletics at the Namibia Sports Awards held in Swakopmund in the Erongo Region last month.

Maria Simon, 22, received an award at the Disability Sport Namibia Awards in September for taking part in Paralympic disability sports.
The athletes are learners of the Dr Romanus Kampungu Secondary School Special Unit made up of learners with disabilities from the two Kavango regions.

Litwayi said the regional leadership and all stakeholders should do its best in developing future athletes that will bring medals for the region.
He said the Paralympic club in the region started in 2008 and it has not been a smooth journey due to a lack of support from the region’s leadership.

“We don’t receive any support directly from the region like how it happens in other regions where I go to attend regional games or other competitions,” said Litwayi.

He added that during Paralympic games held in the region, no top official from the region reserves time to attend the events, noting that the region only focuses on sports that involve able-bodied people.

Despite that, Litwayi acknowledged the Office of the Kavango East Governor, which he said has been rendering a lot of assistance to the Paralympic regional club.

Litwayi, who hails from Kavango East, applauded the two athletes for their achievements.
He also praised Paralympic coach, Wendelinus Sisingi, who has been coaching at the Kavango East Paralympic club since its establishment for his hard work and dedication.
(NAMPA)