Living Beside a River, Yet Thirsty: AR Slams Rundu Leadership
By Anton Wokie
RUNDU – The Affirmative Repositioning (AR) movement in Kavango East has launched a scathing attack on the Rundu Town Council following the rejection of motions aimed at addressing persistent water and electricity challenges affecting residents in several informal settlements.
In a strongly worded statement issued this week, AR expressed outrage over what it described as the obstruction of practical solutions intended to provide relief to communities that have endured years of inadequate access to basic services.
According to the movement, a motion proposing the establishment of emergency water access points and an interim water management plan for Deep Ndama East was voted down during a recent council meeting. AR further claimed that a separate motion relating to electricity and streetlight infrastructure was initially rejected by the Chief Executive Officer’s office before being acknowledged as an administrative error.
“The people of Rundu cannot drink excuses,” the statement reads, arguing that residents have grown tired of explanations while basic service delivery continues to lag behind.
The movement said communities such as Ndama East, Sun City, Tumweneni, Tuhingireni and Kasote continue to face chronic water shortages, inadequate infrastructure and limited access to essential municipal services.
AR maintained that the motions were not political exercises but practical interventions aimed at addressing urgent challenges facing thousands of residents.
“The people of these communities are not asking for luxury. They are asking for life. They are asking for clean water. They are asking for safe streets. They are asking for dignity,” the statement said.
A major focus of the criticism centred on what AR described as the contradiction of communities located alongside the Kavango River continuing to experience water shortages.
The movement questioned how discussions regarding the supply of water from the region to other towns can continue while residents living nearest to the river struggle to access reliable water services.
“How can water from Kavango East be deemed fit to quench the thirst of those living hundreds of kilometres away while those living next to the river continue to suffer?” AR asked.
The party argued that the situation reflects deeper governance and leadership failures, claiming that development in Rundu cannot progress when residents’ concerns are repeatedly ignored and proposed solutions are resisted.
Beyond water access, AR also raised concerns over inadequate street lighting, warning that poorly lit streets place residents at increased risk of crime and insecurity.
The movement noted that workers returning home after sunset, including retail employees, restaurant staff and security personnel, often navigate dark streets, creating safety concerns for women, youth and elderly residents.
“Streetlights are not a luxury. They are a matter of public safety,” the statement stressed.
AR has demanded the immediate re-tabling of both motions before council, the implementation of an urgent and publicly accountable action plan to address water shortages, improvements to electricity and streetlight infrastructure, respect for democratic council processes, and greater transparency from municipal leadership.
The movement also challenged local authorities to explain why residents have continued to experience the same challenges for several years despite ongoing development initiatives.
Concluding its statement, AR pledged to continue pushing for accountability and service delivery improvements, saying it would stand with affected communities until access to clean water, electricity, safety and dignity becomes a reality for all residents of Rundu.
