Water scarcity has become a pressing concern in Namibia’s Oshikoto region, where families are struggling to access this essential resource. The situation has worsened with the intensification of the dry season, particularly in remote areas like Onalukula village. Local government official Stephenson Tuukondjele notes that the shortage is a regional issue, affecting not only Onalukula but the entire region, and that it began earlier than usual this year. Normally the water shortage occurs around October or November, but this year some areas ran dry as early as July.
The water supply from Angola, distributed through a series of pipelines, is insufficient to meet the growing demand of households and livestock. Tuukondjele attributes this to the complex system and limited supply, stating that “the water just isn’t enough to meet the demand.” Residents such as Ndahafa Haimbodi, a member of the Onalukula water committee, have been experiencing shortages for years, with the situation becoming dire toward the end of the rainy season. This year has been particularly challenging, with no running water since June. The pipeline in Eben‑Ezer has dried up, forcing residents to buy water from neighboring households at a high cost—N$5 to N$20 per five‑liter container. The lack of affordable water has significant implications, especially for those with limited mobility who must pay extra for water collection.
Haimbodi and her fellow committee members have appealed to government offices for assistance, but their efforts have yielded little result. The community has not received water deliveries from the government for months, and the shortage has affected both households and livestock. Eben‑Ezer Primary School is also suffering; parents must purchase water for the school‑feeding program, and the school’s toilets lack running water, underscoring the urgency of the crisis.
Haimbodi is calling on the government to repair and replace the aging pipelines in Eben‑Ezer. In response, Tuukondjele acknowledges the challenges and notes that the government is rehabilitating the infrastructure, albeit slowly, due to factors such as power outages. Water trucks are being dispatched to affected areas on a rotational basis, but resources are limited, allowing only a few communities to receive water each day. Long‑term solutions, including the Oshivelo water project and borehole drilling, are underway to address the root cause of the crisis.
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