Rain, water woes stall Uupindi classroom build

Oshikoto governor Sacky Kathindi on Tuesday inspected a half-built classroom at Uupindi Primary School in the Omuntele constituency that was due for completion in May but is only 70% finished.The contractor said heavy rain and a four-month water shortage were among the challenges that held up work. The company added that it is waiting for payment to buy the remaining materials needed to finish the job.The project follows a request from the school’s principal, Lovisa Kandenge, who approached the governor’s office last year for help amid a critical shortage of classrooms.The office allocated N$118 000 for the construction and awarded the project to Sweet-North Construction Company in late February.Uupindi Primary School has 303 learners from pre-primary to Grade 7 and employs 13 teachers and one institutional worker.Fillemon, the owner of Sweet-North, said excessive rain in February prevented work from starting immediately after the handover, and construction only began in March.He said the project was then hit by a four-month water shortage.“We faced significant issues with water scarcity, which hindered our ability to produce bricks,” he told the governor on Tuesday.About N$70 000 of the budget is still outstanding, the contractor said.“Even if we transported water from Onankali with a truck, the costs of diesel, transportation and other expenses would not be sustainable,” he explained.With roofing, flooring and painting still to be done, Fillemon asked the local council to pay an invoice for the remaining materials, saying he would finish the project within five days.Quality paramountKathindi said he was satisfied with the quality of work so far but cautioned against rushing the final stages.“I want quality work. I understand you are facing challenges, but trying to complete everything in five days may lead to poor results,” he warned.“Let us be mindful of our resources and strive for excellence. I am pleased with the quality achieved so far, despite the delays,” Kathindi said.Fillemon assured the governor that the company would deliver the standard expected of it.The governor added that payments cannot be issued without evidence of completed work.Nonetheless, Kathindi underscored that the priority is to ensure the classroom is finished for the benefit of the learners.He said he would instruct education officials to verify the quotations for the remaining materials and explore the best way forward and would also address the water supply problem.

Rain, water woes stall Uupindi classroom build

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Namibian Sun 2026-10-22

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Rain, water woes stall Uupindi classroom build

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Namibian Sun 2026-10-22

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