Opuwo residents fed up with dirty town
Residents of Opuwo in the Kunene Region have expressed concerns regarding the issue of litter and poor waste management in the town, which they say has persisted for several years.
Some residents who bemoaned the town's littered look told Namibian Sun that despite paying for waste removal services, the town remains consistently dirty.
“Opuwo is only clean when there is a government official in the town,” a resident complained.
Development neglected
Residents accuse the town’s leadership of playing political games instead of prioritising the town's development for the benefit of its residents.
“The leadership in Opuwo only cares about themselves and play dirty political games instead of putting residents first and fast-tracking development,” a resident claimed.
During Namibian Sun's visit to the town last week, plastic, paper and bottle waste could be seen littering the streets.
According to residents, the town is surrounded by small-scale mining operations – however, no investments in the town are being made by the companies.
“Opuwo is rich, but it does not look like it because of the dirt, and companies mining around Opuwo do not invest back in the town,” the residents stressed.
Everyone has a role to play
In a telephonic interview with Namibian Sun, Opuwo mayor Rosa Mbinge-Tjeundo said the town council has a waste management programme in place to address litter around the town.
She did, however, concede there are challenges, such as a lack of vehicles and trucks to pick up garbage.
She also said there is a lack of support from the community and urged residents to play their part in keeping the town clean and not expect the municipality to do it all.
“We have cleaning campaigns to keep the town clean, but only a few people show up to help,” she said.
She further urged residents to stop littering and to join the town’s cleaning campaigns.
Mbinge-Tjeundo refuted claims that the town’s leadership is not fast-tracking development, indicating that it is evident the town is rapidly developing.
“Opuwo is developing. We are busy with many projects that I can guarantee; I do not know what development the residents are referring to,” Mbinge-Tjeundo said.
Some residents who bemoaned the town's littered look told Namibian Sun that despite paying for waste removal services, the town remains consistently dirty.
“Opuwo is only clean when there is a government official in the town,” a resident complained.
Development neglected
Residents accuse the town’s leadership of playing political games instead of prioritising the town's development for the benefit of its residents.
“The leadership in Opuwo only cares about themselves and play dirty political games instead of putting residents first and fast-tracking development,” a resident claimed.
During Namibian Sun's visit to the town last week, plastic, paper and bottle waste could be seen littering the streets.
According to residents, the town is surrounded by small-scale mining operations – however, no investments in the town are being made by the companies.
“Opuwo is rich, but it does not look like it because of the dirt, and companies mining around Opuwo do not invest back in the town,” the residents stressed.
Everyone has a role to play
In a telephonic interview with Namibian Sun, Opuwo mayor Rosa Mbinge-Tjeundo said the town council has a waste management programme in place to address litter around the town.
She did, however, concede there are challenges, such as a lack of vehicles and trucks to pick up garbage.
She also said there is a lack of support from the community and urged residents to play their part in keeping the town clean and not expect the municipality to do it all.
“We have cleaning campaigns to keep the town clean, but only a few people show up to help,” she said.
She further urged residents to stop littering and to join the town’s cleaning campaigns.
Mbinge-Tjeundo refuted claims that the town’s leadership is not fast-tracking development, indicating that it is evident the town is rapidly developing.
“Opuwo is developing. We are busy with many projects that I can guarantee; I do not know what development the residents are referring to,” Mbinge-Tjeundo said.
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