Food aid: Kavango East distribution back on track

Chairperson of the Kavango East Regional Council Damian Maghambayi says food aid distribution in the region has commenced in all six constituencies following delays caused by reported discrepancies in the beneficiary list.Speaking at a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister John Mutorwa in Rundu last week, Maghambayi said distribution had been postponed in order to ensure the aid reaches as many vulnerable people as possible.“We had to verify that beneficiaries were not registered twice. The delays were due to the verification process, which took longer than expected. However, these issues have since been addressed. Before the verification process, the number of beneficiaries stood at over 60 000. After the verification process, the number came down to about 40 000,” he said.Challenges remainMaghambayi said food is currently being distributed despite transportation hurdles.“Currently, we only have two private trucks that we have hired, two trucks that were obtained from the Namibian Defence Force and two from the regional council. And because of the nature of our roads, sometimes, when food is being distributed specifically deep inland, we experience breakdowns or tyre punctures and other mechanical issues that sometimes take long to fix and add to costs,” he said. He also highlighted the worsening food situation in the region. “During the last rainy season, our people thrived; however, the harvest is not something that we can rely on. And equally, those that managed to get something from their crops have to face continuous conflict with wildlife. Elephants are roaming around, destroying the little crops people have. These are some of the challenges that this region&#039;s residents face,” Maghambayi said.Another issue that has cropped up are complaints about unsifted maize, with concerns raised that the product is not fit for human consumption."The other challenge is that livestock are also supposed to benefit from this programme; however, since its inception, our region is still waiting. We have made some submissions to include livestock in the programme, but it’s yet to be rolled out in the Kavango East Region,” he added.Maghambayi told Mutorwa their warehouse is currently stocked with 144 055 tinned fish, 45 385 maize meal, 117 446 cooking oil bottles and 390 (750 grams) soy beans.nikanor@erongo.com.na

Food aid: Kavango East distribution back on track

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Namibian Sun 2025-03-06

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Food aid: Kavango East distribution back on track

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Namibian Sun 2025-03-06

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