Cabinet directive blamed for residents’ reluctant NamWater payment

Kenya Kambowe RUNDUKatima Mulilo town council says despite having incurred debt with NamWater prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, last year’s Cabinet directive calling on local authorities to avail water to residents has played a big role in why many have defaulted on their municipal accounts.Recently, residents of Katima Mulilo have been experiencing challenges as far as water provision is concerned.In fact, last week, the municipal fire truck had to rely on water from the Zambezi River to put out an inferno which razed a shopping complex due to the town not having water at the time.Shops such as Pep, Shoprite and Hungry Lion burned to the ground.The cause of the fire is yet to be determined.Leaked letterShortly after the fire, a leaked letter from NamWater to the Katima Mulilo town council started to make the rounds on social media.According to the letter dated 22 February from NamWater CEO Abraham Nehemia to Katima Mulilo CEO Raphael Liswaniso, the local authority owes the water utility about N$28 million.NamWater has been reminding the local authority to settle its account, but the bill keeps rising, Nehemia wrote.While admitting that water is crucial during the pandemic, Nehemia said preparations should be made for the event the pandemic ends.“This letter serves to inform you that the pre-paid bulk water meters will be converted back to pre-paid with immediate effect,” the letter read.It further served to inform Liswaniso that the town is expected to attend to the overdue invoices no later than the end of this month. Defaulting residentsWhen contacted for comment, Katima Mulilo town council spokesperson Muyoba Muyoba said one of the reasons why the local authority is struggling to settle its NamWater account is because residents have defaulted on paying for services rendered.Referring to the line ministry’s directive to avail water to residents during the pandemic, Muyoba said that has played a role in residents’ non-payment.“Since the start of Covid-19, there was a Cabinet directive that we must connect everyone to water, meaning that a lot of people have been defaulting because we were not allowed to cut water,” he said.He added that council has adopted a community engagement approach to urge residents to pay up.Muyoba said all residents in the town qualify to be on the pre-paid water system, however, some have yet to be connected.Directive was clearMeanwhile, urban and rural development minister Erastus Uutoni said the directive was clear - local authorities were only expected to reconnect households in informal settlements where water provision has been a challenge.He added that it is wrong for people who can afford to pay for water not to settle their accounts.He urged local authorities to engage communities on why they should pay their dues.Katima Mulilo residents consume water worth about N$3.5 million every month.kenya@namibiansun.com

Cabinet directive blamed for residents’ reluctant NamWater payment

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Namibian Sun 2026-03-13

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Cabinet directive blamed for residents’ reluctant NamWater payment

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Namibian Sun 2026-03-13

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