Rundu residents threaten election boycott over water crisis
No water, no vote
Rundu residents last week warned that they will boycott the November regional and local authority elections if the persistent water crisis affecting several communities is not urgently addressed.
The water shortage has left families struggling for years, months and weeks in the worst-affected pockets.
Residents are forced to drink unsafe water, travel long distances to access it, and battle poor hygiene, putting their health at risk.
At the Tumweneni informal settlement, established in 2019, residents last week said their first water borehole, drilled in 2024, has never been functional.
Pre-school learners have been forced to stay home in recent weeks because there is no water for washing clothes, while parents walk long distances to collect water from other areas.
Frustrated residents say they will discard their voter cards if no solution is found. Tumweneni alone is home to over 10 000 people, with 90% registered voters, making it the most populous residential area in Rundu.
Other affected neighbourhoods include Tuhingireni, Queens Park, Kaisosi, Ndama South, Ndama East, Sun City, Sikanduko and Millennium.
‘Impossible choices’
At Sikanduko, families continue to rely on a murky pond shared with grazing animals. Children fetch and even drink the visibly contaminated water, while parents wash clothes, bathe their children, and even use the water for cooking, fully aware it is unsafe – but they have no other choice, because they have no other source of clean water.
“We are forced to make impossible choices every day,” said community member Annelie Hamunime.
“Our children get sick constantly. We are suffering. Political parties always want to take advantage of us when it comes to voting, but when it’s time for development, they disappear. Imagine if we move away from the ruling party; they know exactly where to be found. We feel abandoned by everyone who is supposed to help us.”
Residents accuse political parties of exploiting the situation, making empty promises during campaigns but failing to deliver once votes are secured.
The ongoing lack of water has compounded frustration with local leadership, with many saying their councillors have abandoned them.
Pay for it
Swapo Rundu Urban district coordinator Gabriel Hakusembe defended a party-linked water project in Ndama South, where a container-based system was installed. Hakusembe said contributions from residents are required to maintain the project. “You cannot get water for free. What you can do is contribute $50 each so you can continue pulling the pipe, continue the project,” he explained, stressing that residents themselves must manage the system.
He acknowledged challenges with the solar-powered pump and appealed to the community to support ongoing maintenance.
In September, multiple boreholes were drilled across Rundu.
Officials say all boreholes are Class B and safe for human consumption. Yet residents insist that water access remains unreliable, forcing them to resort to unsafe sources.
[email protected]
The water shortage has left families struggling for years, months and weeks in the worst-affected pockets.
Residents are forced to drink unsafe water, travel long distances to access it, and battle poor hygiene, putting their health at risk.
At the Tumweneni informal settlement, established in 2019, residents last week said their first water borehole, drilled in 2024, has never been functional.
Pre-school learners have been forced to stay home in recent weeks because there is no water for washing clothes, while parents walk long distances to collect water from other areas.
Frustrated residents say they will discard their voter cards if no solution is found. Tumweneni alone is home to over 10 000 people, with 90% registered voters, making it the most populous residential area in Rundu.
Other affected neighbourhoods include Tuhingireni, Queens Park, Kaisosi, Ndama South, Ndama East, Sun City, Sikanduko and Millennium.
‘Impossible choices’
At Sikanduko, families continue to rely on a murky pond shared with grazing animals. Children fetch and even drink the visibly contaminated water, while parents wash clothes, bathe their children, and even use the water for cooking, fully aware it is unsafe – but they have no other choice, because they have no other source of clean water.
“We are forced to make impossible choices every day,” said community member Annelie Hamunime.
“Our children get sick constantly. We are suffering. Political parties always want to take advantage of us when it comes to voting, but when it’s time for development, they disappear. Imagine if we move away from the ruling party; they know exactly where to be found. We feel abandoned by everyone who is supposed to help us.”
Residents accuse political parties of exploiting the situation, making empty promises during campaigns but failing to deliver once votes are secured.
The ongoing lack of water has compounded frustration with local leadership, with many saying their councillors have abandoned them.
Pay for it
Swapo Rundu Urban district coordinator Gabriel Hakusembe defended a party-linked water project in Ndama South, where a container-based system was installed. Hakusembe said contributions from residents are required to maintain the project. “You cannot get water for free. What you can do is contribute $50 each so you can continue pulling the pipe, continue the project,” he explained, stressing that residents themselves must manage the system.
He acknowledged challenges with the solar-powered pump and appealed to the community to support ongoing maintenance.
In September, multiple boreholes were drilled across Rundu.
Officials say all boreholes are Class B and safe for human consumption. Yet residents insist that water access remains unreliable, forcing them to resort to unsafe sources.
[email protected]
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