New headman for Amarika
With a severe shortage of access to potable water and a very weak academic drive amongst its youth, Amarika is now in the hands of Ottilie Ipinge who says she will rise to the occasion.
King Johannes Mupongolitha Mupiya of the Ongandjera Traditional Authority installed 21 new village headmen at the weekend.
Among the installed leaders is Ottilie Ndeutala Ipinge, 61, the new headman for Amarika village replacing Simeon Ngesheya, who died in 2015.
Ipinge told Namibian Sun that she is ready to take over the village of Amarika and all its problems of access to water, high unemployment among the youth, lack of academic focus among young children, and minimal social support from government.
Ipinge said that she is not new to Amarika and its problems since she has been a village secretary and church leader since 2003. She said she already established a relationship with community members as well as various stakeholders and this will make her job easier.
During the ceremony at Ongandjera palace at Uukwandongo, Mupiya told the new headmen that they are the link between the traditional authority and the community. Therefore, he urged them to lead in accordance with the laws of the country and those pertaining to traditional authorities.
“Leading is not a one-man show. You have to establish your council which will help you to lead and make good decisions. Whatever decision you make must be agreed to by the council and must be in line with the laws and regulations of the traditional authority and those of the country,” Mupiya said.
He also urged them to ensure that the allocation of land is done procedurally and that natural resources are protected.
“You must know your village boundaries and put your people and their welfare first. Assist all the agencies of government in executing their mandates and projects. Where you need help, approach senior traditional leaders of your district or constituency councillors,” he said.
This is the first installation of traditional leaders of the Ongandjera since Mupiya became king in 2012.
Ipinge said that the biggest challenge of Amarika is access to water and children who do not want to go to school. She said that she will see how she can help overcome these challenges.
“The government has constructed a modern school with hostel for us, but children are not attending school, opting rather to work at cattle posts.
“I think a lot needs to be done to educate their parents on the need for education. We have a very high unemployment rate in our community just because our people have not received formal education that can help them get employment, especially in government,” Ipinge said.
On the water issue, Ipinge said, “for the past four months, our people are drinking from their wells. The desalination plant (built at a cost of N$200 million) has not been working since August.
“We communicated this to the Otamanzi councillor, but he told us that there is no money for government to bring us water with a tanker.
“He advises us to collect money for petrol but people have no money.”
Ipinge said that water from the wells is problem for the people of Amarika as it is unhealthy.
ILENI NANDJATO
Among the installed leaders is Ottilie Ndeutala Ipinge, 61, the new headman for Amarika village replacing Simeon Ngesheya, who died in 2015.
Ipinge told Namibian Sun that she is ready to take over the village of Amarika and all its problems of access to water, high unemployment among the youth, lack of academic focus among young children, and minimal social support from government.
Ipinge said that she is not new to Amarika and its problems since she has been a village secretary and church leader since 2003. She said she already established a relationship with community members as well as various stakeholders and this will make her job easier.
During the ceremony at Ongandjera palace at Uukwandongo, Mupiya told the new headmen that they are the link between the traditional authority and the community. Therefore, he urged them to lead in accordance with the laws of the country and those pertaining to traditional authorities.
“Leading is not a one-man show. You have to establish your council which will help you to lead and make good decisions. Whatever decision you make must be agreed to by the council and must be in line with the laws and regulations of the traditional authority and those of the country,” Mupiya said.
He also urged them to ensure that the allocation of land is done procedurally and that natural resources are protected.
“You must know your village boundaries and put your people and their welfare first. Assist all the agencies of government in executing their mandates and projects. Where you need help, approach senior traditional leaders of your district or constituency councillors,” he said.
This is the first installation of traditional leaders of the Ongandjera since Mupiya became king in 2012.
Ipinge said that the biggest challenge of Amarika is access to water and children who do not want to go to school. She said that she will see how she can help overcome these challenges.
“The government has constructed a modern school with hostel for us, but children are not attending school, opting rather to work at cattle posts.
“I think a lot needs to be done to educate their parents on the need for education. We have a very high unemployment rate in our community just because our people have not received formal education that can help them get employment, especially in government,” Ipinge said.
On the water issue, Ipinge said, “for the past four months, our people are drinking from their wells. The desalination plant (built at a cost of N$200 million) has not been working since August.
“We communicated this to the Otamanzi councillor, but he told us that there is no money for government to bring us water with a tanker.
“He advises us to collect money for petrol but people have no money.”
Ipinge said that water from the wells is problem for the people of Amarika as it is unhealthy.
ILENI NANDJATO
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