Angry voices from the darkness

Some of the immediate repercussions of power cuts implemented by NamPower in parts of the country include fears that criminals in Rundu police custody can escape as the station doesn’t have a backup generator to keep the lights on.

In the Oshana Region, residents fear a rise in criminal activity because “darkness is the best time for criminals to attack their victims”.

On Monday, NamPower started pulling the plug on defaulting regional electricity distributors, who owe it a collective N$1 billion - an exercise the utility said will continue until what is due to it is settled.

What has angered many residents is that they have prepaid electricity arrangements and thus owe neither their town councils nor the regional electricity distributors.

Education

A Rundu parent, Martin Linkumbi, said his children – who are currently writing exams - were forced to study using his phone’s flashlight as the power cut happened unexpectedly.

“My children were writing examinations [yesterday] and as a parent, I had no choice but to give them my phone so they light their room and study.

“This is not what we call prosperity. Nored and NamPower must fix the mess they put us in. This cannot happen again,” he fumed.

Businesses

Speaking on behalf of the two Kavango regions, the Namibia Chamber for Commerce and Industry’s (NCCI) Kavango East branch chairperson Geraldo Illarius told Namibian Sun that the new measures by NamPower have affected businesses in the area.

He said small business owners - whose businesses don’t have backup generators - had to close shop, and some of their equipment such as freezers consume more electricity after power has been interrupted, which is regarded as unwanted cost.

Rundu businessman and community activist Frans Moyo said he had to close his shebeen earlier than expected as it was not safe to keep it open.

“The area where I am operating is not one where you can serve patrons in the dark. It’s not safe. What I want to know is why Nored allowed us to be in such a situation? I am a prepaid electricity user,” he lamented.

Moyo said if the situation is not addressed amicably, stakeholders - together with other affected activists - will be left with no other option but to take action against Nored and government.

Crime

Meanwhile, Oshana police regional commander, Commissioner Naftal Lungameni Sakaria, said darkness is the mother of all evil and it is obvious that residents will not be safe during power cuts.

He said his first concern is the safety of citizens as criminals will use the opportunity to attack and commit offences.

“Criminals will be hard to spot in the dark. Also at the [police] stations, we have inmates there. They can hurt each other and they will be difficult to control,” he said.

Sakaria said when the stations lost power on Monday, generators at the Ondangwa and Oshakati charge offices kicked in. Only Ongwediva had an issue, which he said was being fixed.

“We are used to constant power supply. Overall, it is bad. Charge offices have no power and they used cellphone lights last night. And those who operate outside had to remain indoors and others closed it for a few hours,” he said.

Complex task

On what plan the police had in place to work around the power cuts and improve the safety of the residents, Sakaria said it was a complex task.

“If God sends a moon at some point, we can use it. How do we light up dark corners when street lights are off?

“Towns are not the same as rural areas, but the police will do their best to keep communities safe,” he said, adding that unfortunately the force also needs to consider the safety of its employees while protecting the masses.

He urged Nored to work on finding a solution quickly as he is worried about the ever-increasing rape cases in the region, and with the darkness, the suspects will be unknown and difficult to catch.

Stay home, stay safe

Sharing similar sentiments was Kavango East acting police commander, deputy commissioner Lucy Kahuure, who said crime is likely to take place in the darkness, hence the call for stakeholders to address the issue as soon as possible.

She said criminals will use the planned outages to commit crime, and called on residents to take protective measures such as avoiding going to bars during these times of uncertainty. Children must also be home earlier, she urged.

She further pointed out that the police is placed in a difficult situation, especially at the Rundu police station where there is no backup generator.

“When there is no electricity, the CCTV cameras are not working, meaning that we cannot see what is going on in the cells and those in the cells can use this opportunity to escape from custody,” she said.

Health

Maria Shafodino, the technical coordinator in charge of maintenance at Ongwediva Medipark Private Hospital, said they have enough backup and were not affected by the power cut.

However, public health facilities without generators, like clinics the where fridges and freezers are used to store medicines, would quickly feel the pinch.

Health ministry executive director Ben Nangombe said it is unfortunate for some areas of the country to go through such a situation, but hastened to add that many public health facilities have backup generators.

Nored yesterday apologised for the power cuts and said engagements are ongoing between it, NamPower and other stakeholders.

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