Borehole pump thieves leave Kavango thirsty
Nearly 20 villages hung out to dry
Residents of Mauvara village in Mashare constituency are the latest to wake up to the ordeal of having to go back to the crocodile-infested Kavango River after their water pumps were stolen under the cover of darkness.
Thousands of villagers who depend on boreholes for water in the Kavango regions have been left to travel long distances in search of water – or resort to the Kavango River – because a syndicate is targeting borehole water pumps.
In 2021, during her state of the region address (SORA), Kavango West governor Sirkka Ausiku informed the public that out of 405 villages in the region, 134 of them were without potable water.
In her 2023 SORA delivered this month, Ausiku said that the number of villages without potable water now stands at 153, which is an increase of 19 villages without water despite her acknowledgment that government and private organisations have assisted by constructing new boreholes in various constituencies.
Criminal activity rife
In her response to Namibian Sun over the increase of villages without water despite efforts made to address the issue, Ausiku revealed that this is because borehole water pumps are being targeted by criminals.
"I hope you were following the news when thieves targeted water infrastructure in the region and more villages were left without water provision again. Currently, the ministry is busy replacing them. That is why in the SORA I requested our communities to organise them and guard their infrastructures," Ausiku said.
According to agriculture ministry spokesperson Jona Musheko, the Kavango East region recently reported six stolen borehole water pumps. He said government has procured 20 water pumps that were all meant for reinstallation in the northern regions due to theft.
Back to the river
Meanwhile, residents of Mauvara village in the Mashare constituency have resumed fetching water from the river as their recently installed borehole was stolen last weekend.
An agriculture ministry employee in Kavango West told Namibian Sun that the issue of borehole water pumps being stolen is very serious.
The source revealed that this year alone, Kavango West lost about 15 boreholes to theft.
About 10 were stolen in Kapako constituency.
"There is a syndicate of thieves stealing the pumps, [and it] is creating havoc in our region," the source said.
Questions raised
The source, however, raised concern as to how even water pumps are being stolen from boreholes that are situated near homesteads.
"When investigations are done, the community members claim to have heard nothing, despite the fact that if one has to remove a water pump, there needs to be a lot of manpower and there is supposed to be noise. The criminals will also need a vehicle to carry out the criminal exercise," the source said.
A water pump costs between N$18 000 and N$20 000.
Exposed to danger
In terms of Kavango East, the chairperson of the regional council, Damian Maghambayi, said it’s a worrisome issue as it is forcing people to go back to the river for water and endangering their lives.
"It’s a very serious issue. In Mukwe, they stole three water pumps. It looks like the people who are committing these crimes are professionals who know where the pumps are and how they were installed."
Unfortunately, this is one of the regions that suffers so much in terms of potable water, and then the little we are getting to help the people is taken away again. At the end of the day, those who are suffering are our own people."
He added: "Now just imagine we are fighting with the issue of human-wildlife conflict (crocodiles killing people) and now here you come and steal the pump, which means people must go back to the river. It is not impressing anybody."
Namibian Sun has been told there are rumours in communities that the masterminds behind the water pump thefts are Namibian farmers who have farms in neighbouring Angola and are using locals to commit the crime.
In the case of Kavango West, Namibian Sun has been informed of allegations that, upon being awarded tenders to install a borehole, some contractors did not submit the pump serial numbers, which has made the recovery of stolen items a 'mission impossible'.
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In 2021, during her state of the region address (SORA), Kavango West governor Sirkka Ausiku informed the public that out of 405 villages in the region, 134 of them were without potable water.
In her 2023 SORA delivered this month, Ausiku said that the number of villages without potable water now stands at 153, which is an increase of 19 villages without water despite her acknowledgment that government and private organisations have assisted by constructing new boreholes in various constituencies.
Criminal activity rife
In her response to Namibian Sun over the increase of villages without water despite efforts made to address the issue, Ausiku revealed that this is because borehole water pumps are being targeted by criminals.
"I hope you were following the news when thieves targeted water infrastructure in the region and more villages were left without water provision again. Currently, the ministry is busy replacing them. That is why in the SORA I requested our communities to organise them and guard their infrastructures," Ausiku said.
According to agriculture ministry spokesperson Jona Musheko, the Kavango East region recently reported six stolen borehole water pumps. He said government has procured 20 water pumps that were all meant for reinstallation in the northern regions due to theft.
Back to the river
Meanwhile, residents of Mauvara village in the Mashare constituency have resumed fetching water from the river as their recently installed borehole was stolen last weekend.
An agriculture ministry employee in Kavango West told Namibian Sun that the issue of borehole water pumps being stolen is very serious.
The source revealed that this year alone, Kavango West lost about 15 boreholes to theft.
About 10 were stolen in Kapako constituency.
"There is a syndicate of thieves stealing the pumps, [and it] is creating havoc in our region," the source said.
Questions raised
The source, however, raised concern as to how even water pumps are being stolen from boreholes that are situated near homesteads.
"When investigations are done, the community members claim to have heard nothing, despite the fact that if one has to remove a water pump, there needs to be a lot of manpower and there is supposed to be noise. The criminals will also need a vehicle to carry out the criminal exercise," the source said.
A water pump costs between N$18 000 and N$20 000.
Exposed to danger
In terms of Kavango East, the chairperson of the regional council, Damian Maghambayi, said it’s a worrisome issue as it is forcing people to go back to the river for water and endangering their lives.
"It’s a very serious issue. In Mukwe, they stole three water pumps. It looks like the people who are committing these crimes are professionals who know where the pumps are and how they were installed."
Unfortunately, this is one of the regions that suffers so much in terms of potable water, and then the little we are getting to help the people is taken away again. At the end of the day, those who are suffering are our own people."
He added: "Now just imagine we are fighting with the issue of human-wildlife conflict (crocodiles killing people) and now here you come and steal the pump, which means people must go back to the river. It is not impressing anybody."
Namibian Sun has been told there are rumours in communities that the masterminds behind the water pump thefts are Namibian farmers who have farms in neighbouring Angola and are using locals to commit the crime.
In the case of Kavango West, Namibian Sun has been informed of allegations that, upon being awarded tenders to install a borehole, some contractors did not submit the pump serial numbers, which has made the recovery of stolen items a 'mission impossible'.
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