Nujoma's ‘heart would bleed’ over state of Kalimbeza

Late founding president Sam Nujoma’s vision of national food self-sufficiency is under threat.This warning was made by Tobie Aupindi, chair of the parliamentary standing committee on natural resources, who didn’t mince his words during an oversight visit to the Kalimbeza Rice Project in the Zambezi region on Sunday.The committee is conducting a week-long oversight visit to assess conservancies, green schemes and agricultural projects across Zambezi, Kavango East and West. During the visit, concerns were raised about the state of the rice project, a key initiative for Namibia’s food security.Aupindi said the state of the project was unacceptable and painted a grim picture of poor resource management and system failures.“If somebody’s telling me they are still waiting for a rice harvesting machine and it might come before the end of the year, then what are we talking about? We are killing government resources and demoralising the workforce,” Aupindi stressed. Citing his admiration for Nujoma, who had championed Kalimbeza, Aupindi added:“I’m passionate about this project because my hero was passionate about it. If Nujoma were alive today, his heart would bleed at what has become of this rice business.”Aupindi urged fellow lawmakers to be “frank” in their findings and avoid sugar-coating their findings. “We are just employing disaster strategies that contribute to negativity. I am seriously appalled by what I’ve just heard here,” he said.A broken systemThe project’s farm manager detailed a long list of challenges during the parliamentary visit.He noted that although only 38 hectares were planted last season, 180 tonnes of raw rice were harvested. But the harvest remains unprocessed because the processing machine is broken.“We haven’t processed the rice we harvested last year because the machine is not working,” the manager admitted. “The ministry allocated funds for a new machine last year, and we hope to receive it before the end of this year.”The lack of a functioning warehouse adds to the crisis. The current storage facility, the manager said, is neither pest-proof nor climate-controlled, essential requirements for preserving rice quality.“Rodents, lizards and dust enter freely. Even if we signed a contract with a retailer today, they would reject the rice due to poor storage standards,” he pointed out. Delays and bureaucracyBeyond infrastructure, the manager highlighted deep-rooted administrative bottlenecks. He blamed mismanagement issues for delays in hiring casual labour, which in turn impacts timely weeding and field preparation, a critical factor in rice farming.“We submit requests for casual workers, but approval from the MD takes weeks. By the time we get clearance, weeds have overgrown, and pests have attacked the crop,” he explained.MPs call for urgencyParliamentarians, including Imms Nashinge, voiced concern over the gap between policy intentions and realities on the ground.Nashinge stressed the need to match political will with effective execution and urged swift intervention.The committee’s visit forms part of a broader effort to monitor the sustainability and impact of Namibia’s natural resource initiatives, with Kalimbeza now serving as a cautionary tale of how vision can be lost in translation.The committee will continue its tour in Kavango East and Kavango West this week.phillipus@nmh-hub.com.na

Nujoma's ‘heart would bleed’ over state of Kalimbeza

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Namibian Sun 2026-01-09

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Nujoma's ‘heart would bleed’ over state of Kalimbeza

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Namibian Sun 2026-01-09

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