Rundu no longer a filthy eyesore
KENYA KAMBOWE
RUNDU
The riverside town of Rundu in the Kavango East Region is being transformed from the filthiest to one of the cleanest towns in the country.
For years the media reported on the state of the town's streets, which had become dumpsites.
Maria Mwengere Road, which connects the central business area to the Unam campus, was one of the filthiest, with overflowing skips and rubbish heaps disgusting residents and visitors alike.
Household refuse was not being collected despite residents paying for the service.
Recently, the area has become one of the cleanest parts of the town.
Community members attribute the change to the appointment of ministerial representative Sebastian Kantema to run affairs at the town.
Kantema was appointed by former urban and rural development minister Peya Mushelenga after he suspended the entire town council for poor service delivery.
Providing leadership
When approached for comment, Kantema said he did not do anything extraordinary to clean up the town. “The only thing I have done was to motivate the people who are supposed to do the work,” Kantema said. “We organised a meeting with the staff tasked with refuse removal to find out what their problems were and motivated them to do the work for the people.
“Secondly, as I reported last time, the cars were not in good condition and we had to put them into operation.
“Thirdly, there was no schedule for the people to do their work. The only resource that can make you flourish is the human resource and now everyone is well motivated.
“Whilst motivating them, I informed the staff why the service needs to be rendered. That's the only thing I have done. Now the managers are doing what they should have done,” Kantema said.
No excuses
Previously the council had claimed that it could not keep the town clean without buying more skips and vehicles. Kantema disagreed, saying that one should always strive to achieve the maximum results with the limited resources at one's disposal.
RUNDU
The riverside town of Rundu in the Kavango East Region is being transformed from the filthiest to one of the cleanest towns in the country.
For years the media reported on the state of the town's streets, which had become dumpsites.
Maria Mwengere Road, which connects the central business area to the Unam campus, was one of the filthiest, with overflowing skips and rubbish heaps disgusting residents and visitors alike.
Household refuse was not being collected despite residents paying for the service.
Recently, the area has become one of the cleanest parts of the town.
Community members attribute the change to the appointment of ministerial representative Sebastian Kantema to run affairs at the town.
Kantema was appointed by former urban and rural development minister Peya Mushelenga after he suspended the entire town council for poor service delivery.
Providing leadership
When approached for comment, Kantema said he did not do anything extraordinary to clean up the town. “The only thing I have done was to motivate the people who are supposed to do the work,” Kantema said. “We organised a meeting with the staff tasked with refuse removal to find out what their problems were and motivated them to do the work for the people.
“Secondly, as I reported last time, the cars were not in good condition and we had to put them into operation.
“Thirdly, there was no schedule for the people to do their work. The only resource that can make you flourish is the human resource and now everyone is well motivated.
“Whilst motivating them, I informed the staff why the service needs to be rendered. That's the only thing I have done. Now the managers are doing what they should have done,” Kantema said.
No excuses
Previously the council had claimed that it could not keep the town clean without buying more skips and vehicles. Kantema disagreed, saying that one should always strive to achieve the maximum results with the limited resources at one's disposal.
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