Vendors stall Eneas Peter Nanyemba Road upgrade
The roadworks form part of a broader infrastructure plan
443 informal vendors currently trading at the Havana Four-Way stop are expected to be relocated to an informal community market with a taxi rank.
Residents and informal vendors along Eneas Peter Nanyemba Drive and Matshitshi Street in Havana are refusing to vacate land earmarked for development, stalling a major road upgrade and worsening daily traffic congestion.
The N$381 million road upgrade – a collaborative project between Ongos Valley and the City of Windhoek – forms part of a broader infrastructure drive aimed at transforming northern Windhoek.
While Ongos Valley is leading construction, the City is overseeing the development at a project management level. However, progress has been hindered by informal structures built within the road reserve.
“Construction can only proceed once the relocation of affected households is completed,” said City spokesperson Lydia Amutenya. “Informal trading and residential structures currently obstruct the road reserve.”
Ongos Valley and city face construction delays
Private developer Ongos Valley, which is financing and constructing the dual carriageway upgrade of Eneas Peter Nanyemba Drive under its broader development plan, echoed the City's concerns over delays caused by unauthorised structures.
“The upgrading of the road to a fully functional dual carriageway requires the removal of a number of illegal structures,” said Abed Erastus, Ongos Valley’s Marketing and Stakeholder Relations Manager. “This process has been met with a number of challenges currently being handled by the City of Windhoek’s Department of Human Settlements.”
Erastus also cited heavy rains earlier this year as a contributing factor. “All the necessary steps are being taken to minimise the impact on traffic. However, delays and detours are an expected part of road upgrade projects. We ask for the public’s patience.”
New market planned for informal traders
According to the City, 443 informal vendors currently trading at the Havana Four-Way stop are expected to be relocated to an informal community market with a taxi rank. The facility is intended to benefit informal traders and small businesses affected by the relocation, offering improved trading conditions, security, and access to services—ultimately creating a more enabling environment for economic activity in the area.
The roadworks form part of a broader infrastructure plan that includes the Monte Christo Community Market and Taxi Rank. “Informal traders will benefit from operating within a dedicated space in the new market facility,” Amutenya noted.
Heavy rains and illegal structures cited as setbacks
Meanwhile, the City has opened intersections at Omulunga, Winnie Mandela and Abraham Mashego streets to ease congestion. Despite these measures, traffic bottlenecks remain a daily frustration for commuters.
Ilenikelao Waandja, a resident along Eneas Peter Nanyemba Drive, told a journalist from Network Media Hub (NMH) that they were informed in early January this year to remove illegal structures in preparation for the road construction.
“They told us to vacate and move our structures behind, as the road would be renovated to a dual road. They gave us until February to vacate, but it was not adequate time, as our structures had to push back and we struggled to break them down,” Waandja said.
She added that informal traders were promised relocation to the proposed market in Havana Extension 8, while those with housing structures had to move back and squeeze in with others. According to the City, 340 out of the 451 affected households have been successfully relocated.
Residents say they were not given enough time
Shilumbu Paulus, owner of Shilumbu Joinery at the Havana Four-Way, expressed scepticism about moving to the new market.
“The Four-Way provides me with a vast number of clients and I believe relocating to Havana Extension 8 will reduce my sales,” he said. “They came here and informed us that we are going to be relocated to a market, but this will make business hard for us, as this market is relatively far from where we are currently located, we don't want to move to another undeveloped area,” he said.
Traders fear loss of customers at new site
The delay in the roadworks triggered backlash from residents online. A concerned citizen took to X (formerly Twitter) to voice frustration, urging the City to deliver infrastructure projects smoothly without inconveniencing residents, referencing how the Olympia double-lane project was completed swiftly compared to developments in Katutura.
In response, Amutenya dismissed perceptions that the City favours wealthier suburbs in its rollout. “The City of Windhoek is committed to equitable development and service delivery for all residents,” she said. “Our current investments in Havana, including Extensions 8 and 11, are a testament to our efforts to uplift historically underserved communities.”
Since its groundbreaking ceremony in April 2023, the project has faced several delays. Until full cooperation from residents is secured, progress remains slow — leaving construction vehicles idle and commuters stuck in gridlock.
The N$381 million road upgrade – a collaborative project between Ongos Valley and the City of Windhoek – forms part of a broader infrastructure drive aimed at transforming northern Windhoek.
While Ongos Valley is leading construction, the City is overseeing the development at a project management level. However, progress has been hindered by informal structures built within the road reserve.
“Construction can only proceed once the relocation of affected households is completed,” said City spokesperson Lydia Amutenya. “Informal trading and residential structures currently obstruct the road reserve.”
Ongos Valley and city face construction delays
Private developer Ongos Valley, which is financing and constructing the dual carriageway upgrade of Eneas Peter Nanyemba Drive under its broader development plan, echoed the City's concerns over delays caused by unauthorised structures.
“The upgrading of the road to a fully functional dual carriageway requires the removal of a number of illegal structures,” said Abed Erastus, Ongos Valley’s Marketing and Stakeholder Relations Manager. “This process has been met with a number of challenges currently being handled by the City of Windhoek’s Department of Human Settlements.”
Erastus also cited heavy rains earlier this year as a contributing factor. “All the necessary steps are being taken to minimise the impact on traffic. However, delays and detours are an expected part of road upgrade projects. We ask for the public’s patience.”
New market planned for informal traders
According to the City, 443 informal vendors currently trading at the Havana Four-Way stop are expected to be relocated to an informal community market with a taxi rank. The facility is intended to benefit informal traders and small businesses affected by the relocation, offering improved trading conditions, security, and access to services—ultimately creating a more enabling environment for economic activity in the area.
The roadworks form part of a broader infrastructure plan that includes the Monte Christo Community Market and Taxi Rank. “Informal traders will benefit from operating within a dedicated space in the new market facility,” Amutenya noted.
Heavy rains and illegal structures cited as setbacks
Meanwhile, the City has opened intersections at Omulunga, Winnie Mandela and Abraham Mashego streets to ease congestion. Despite these measures, traffic bottlenecks remain a daily frustration for commuters.
Ilenikelao Waandja, a resident along Eneas Peter Nanyemba Drive, told a journalist from Network Media Hub (NMH) that they were informed in early January this year to remove illegal structures in preparation for the road construction.
“They told us to vacate and move our structures behind, as the road would be renovated to a dual road. They gave us until February to vacate, but it was not adequate time, as our structures had to push back and we struggled to break them down,” Waandja said.
She added that informal traders were promised relocation to the proposed market in Havana Extension 8, while those with housing structures had to move back and squeeze in with others. According to the City, 340 out of the 451 affected households have been successfully relocated.
Residents say they were not given enough time
Shilumbu Paulus, owner of Shilumbu Joinery at the Havana Four-Way, expressed scepticism about moving to the new market.
“The Four-Way provides me with a vast number of clients and I believe relocating to Havana Extension 8 will reduce my sales,” he said. “They came here and informed us that we are going to be relocated to a market, but this will make business hard for us, as this market is relatively far from where we are currently located, we don't want to move to another undeveloped area,” he said.
Traders fear loss of customers at new site
The delay in the roadworks triggered backlash from residents online. A concerned citizen took to X (formerly Twitter) to voice frustration, urging the City to deliver infrastructure projects smoothly without inconveniencing residents, referencing how the Olympia double-lane project was completed swiftly compared to developments in Katutura.
In response, Amutenya dismissed perceptions that the City favours wealthier suburbs in its rollout. “The City of Windhoek is committed to equitable development and service delivery for all residents,” she said. “Our current investments in Havana, including Extensions 8 and 11, are a testament to our efforts to uplift historically underserved communities.”
Since its groundbreaking ceremony in April 2023, the project has faced several delays. Until full cooperation from residents is secured, progress remains slow — leaving construction vehicles idle and commuters stuck in gridlock.
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