Keetmanshoop: The Keetmanshoop Electricity Business Unit’s (KEBU) estimated budget for the 2025/26 financial year is just over N.dollars 148.2 million, representing a 17.09 per cent increase from the 2024/25 financial year, KEBU acting strategic executive, Lee Mwemba, has said. Mwemba was speaking here on Monday during a consultative meeting with Electricity Control Board (ECB) officials, KEBU officials, councillors, and community members to seek input on the proposed increment.

According to Namibia Press Agency,during the 2024/25 financial year, the revenue of KEBU, a division within the Keetmanshoop Municipality, stood at N.dollars 122 million while its budget was N.dollars 122 882 544. Mwemba detailed that from the N.dollars 148 205 922 budget, about N.dollars 87 million, which translates to 58.86 per cent, would be allocated to NamPower, ECB, and the National Electrification Fund.

Furthermore, N.dollars 15 million, translating to 10.55 per cent, would go towards salaries, while N.dollars 27 million (representing 18.4 per cent), is allocated for the upgrade and automation of the electricity network. An additional N.dollars 6 million, which is 4.15 per cent of the budget, is allocated to the municipality as a local authority surcharge, and a further N.dollars 1 million is earmarked for the installation of streetlights.

Mwemba mentioned that the municipality has a provisional proposal of a 6 per cent tariff increment for the 2025/2026 financial year, which will be submitted to the ECB. He noted that the 6 per cent figure is preliminary and could change once all calculations are finalized.

Keetmanshoop Mayor Annalise Knaus also addressed the meeting, emphasizing the role of electricity in driving development and economic stability. She highlighted the municipality’s efforts to balance affordability with the sustainability of electricity supply through careful tariff structuring. Knaus expressed gratitude to the ECB for approving a moderate tariff increase of only 3.8 per cent, as opposed to the higher 17.4 per cent initially requested by NamPower, acknowledging the ECB’s commitment to the socio-economic well-being of communities.