Eshii village celebrates long-awaited borehole
Access to clean water welcomed
Eshii village in the Epembe constituency of Ohangwena region on Sunday welcomed former regional governor Sebastian Ndeitunga and current governor Kadiva Hamutumwa to thank Ndeitunga for facilitating the drilling of a borehole, ending years of severe water shortages.
Ndeitunga, appointed governor by late president Hage Geingob in November 2023 and serving until June this year, said he became aware of the water crisis through media reports and was troubled by disparities, with some villages benefiting from boreholes while others continued to suffer.
“I felt bad to see that the whole world is reading from the paper that our people are suffering from drinking dirty water,” he said.
“Why is it that some places are getting more services than others? These are the people who voted for government – do you want them to hate the government?”
The borehole, drilled in 2024 into the Ohangwena Aquifer II, now provides clean water to Eshii and four neighbouring villages, serving households, livestock and small-scale irrigation.
Improved lives
Speaking on Sunday, Eshii resident Matheus Nghiweni thanked both governors for their joint efforts in bringing relief to the community.
He said villagers had long struggled to access clean drinking water, often travelling up to 10 kilometres to fetch water in 25-litre containers. “Those who were lucky had donkeys to help carry,” he said.
“You will find the children in the house lying helplessly, thirsty and hungry. Then at some point we got water in a constructed dam, but it was not conducive as we shared it with animals. Sometimes after drinking it, you will have a running stomach. But you have no choice; that is the only water available,” he said.
Nghiweni expressed deep gratitude, saying they no longer have to travel long distances to fetch water and can now focus on improving their livelihoods.
Children a priority
Hamutumwa, who has a background with NamWater, praised the community for recognising government’s efforts, saying that reliable access to water remains a top priority under the Swapo Party manifesto and the National Development Plan Six (NDP6).
During the event, she also pledged to build a kindergarten for the village, after residents highlighted the plight of 28 children currently learning in a makeshift shelter built from sticks.
Hamutumwa stressed that early childhood development is essential for preparing children to enter formal schooling and referred to the newly established National Youth Development Fund as a tool to fight youth unemployment in the constituency.
Ndeitunga, appointed governor by late president Hage Geingob in November 2023 and serving until June this year, said he became aware of the water crisis through media reports and was troubled by disparities, with some villages benefiting from boreholes while others continued to suffer.
“I felt bad to see that the whole world is reading from the paper that our people are suffering from drinking dirty water,” he said.
“Why is it that some places are getting more services than others? These are the people who voted for government – do you want them to hate the government?”
The borehole, drilled in 2024 into the Ohangwena Aquifer II, now provides clean water to Eshii and four neighbouring villages, serving households, livestock and small-scale irrigation.
Improved lives
Speaking on Sunday, Eshii resident Matheus Nghiweni thanked both governors for their joint efforts in bringing relief to the community.
He said villagers had long struggled to access clean drinking water, often travelling up to 10 kilometres to fetch water in 25-litre containers. “Those who were lucky had donkeys to help carry,” he said.
“You will find the children in the house lying helplessly, thirsty and hungry. Then at some point we got water in a constructed dam, but it was not conducive as we shared it with animals. Sometimes after drinking it, you will have a running stomach. But you have no choice; that is the only water available,” he said.
Nghiweni expressed deep gratitude, saying they no longer have to travel long distances to fetch water and can now focus on improving their livelihoods.
Children a priority
Hamutumwa, who has a background with NamWater, praised the community for recognising government’s efforts, saying that reliable access to water remains a top priority under the Swapo Party manifesto and the National Development Plan Six (NDP6).
During the event, she also pledged to build a kindergarten for the village, after residents highlighted the plight of 28 children currently learning in a makeshift shelter built from sticks.
Hamutumwa stressed that early childhood development is essential for preparing children to enter formal schooling and referred to the newly established National Youth Development Fund as a tool to fight youth unemployment in the constituency.
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