Kavango East Remains Over 60% Unemployed Despite Critical Staff Shortages – Kavango East Governor
RUNDU – Kavango East Governor, Hon. Hambyuka Hamunyera, says the region continues to face serious socio-economic challenges, with youth unemployment remaining above 60 percent despite many government institutions operating with critical staff shortages.
Delivering the State of the Region Address (SORA), Hamunyera said unemployment remains one of the region’s biggest concerns. He noted that several key government institutions are struggling with inadequate human resources, affecting service delivery.
According to the governor, the Namibian Police currently has 553 vacant positions, while the Ministry of Industries, Mines and Energy is operating with insufficient staff. He added that the regional health directorate is also experiencing severe staff shortages.
The governor also pointed to infrastructure and service delivery gaps, revealing that Rundu has no Business and Intellectual Property Authority (BIPA) office, forcing businesses to endure lengthy registration delays.
Hamunyera further highlighted the continued illegal exploitation of natural resources, saying fisheries inspectors confiscated 107 monofilament fishing nets, while forestry officials seized 2,268 timber planks. Authorities also confiscated 864 kilograms of illegally caught fish.
He said human-wildlife conflict remains a major challenge in the region, resulting in deaths, injuries, and significant damage to crops and livestock.
He further noted that poor network coverage continues to affect rural communities, with more than 10 villages in Mashare lacking mobile connectivity. In addition, Gender Equality Division offices in six constituencies have no internet access.
