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Kunene Prioritises Water Security to Drive Regional Development

Windhoek: Kunene Governor Vipuakuje Muharukua has said water security remains the region's highest development priority, with government accelerating investments in water infrastructure to support agriculture, mining, tourism and economic growth.

According to Namibia Press Agency, delivering the State of the Region Address in Opuwo on Tuesday, Muharukua described water as a critical enabler for achieving Vision 2030, saying improved access to clean water is essential for transforming the region. He acknowledged that many rural communities continue to face water shortages, long distances to water points, borehole failures and ageing infrastructure, while some local authorities are struggling with outstanding debts owed to NamWater.

The governor highlighted the government's efforts to address these challenges, stating, "Government rehabilitated 25 existing rural water points during the period under review and constructed short water pipelines in Opuwo Urban, Sesfontein and Epupa constituencies." He added that 25 boreholes were drilled under community conservation programmes, of which 15 were successful.

Muharukua also welcomed the conversion of 13 water points in the Khorixas and Sesfontein constituencies from diesel-powered systems to solar pumps through a partnership between government and Elephant-Human Relations Aid. This initiative is expected to enhance sustainability and reduce operational costs in the region.

In a significant development, the governor announced that the proposed Kunene Multipurpose Water Facility and Livelihood Enhancement Project has reached an important milestone. A prefeasibility study identified Purros in the Sesfontein Constituency along the Hoarusib River as the most suitable site for a major catchment dam. The project has been registered with the National Planning Commission as a priority infrastructure project and is expected to support domestic water supply, irrigation, livestock farming, tourism, mining and industrial development. The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform has committed N.dollars 10 million towards the feasibility study, while an estimated N.dollars 50 million is required to complete the study.

Furthermore, Muharukua revealed that NamWater drilled and tested 20 boreholes in the Ombazu Aquifer at a cost of N.dollars 13.4 million, yielding approximately 180 cubic metres of water per hour. The newly discovered groundwater can provide about 70 per cent more water than Opuwo currently requires, with pipeline construction expected to begin in January 2027.

The government is also pursuing strategic energy projects, including the Baynes Binational Hydropower Project and the Gerus Solar Project, to complement water infrastructure and accelerate economic development across the Kunene Region.