Staff Reporter
THERE were ululations and shouts of joy when the government commissioned a borehole in the Epasha village in the Omundaungilo Constituency of the Ohangwena Region early this year, but for some villagers, the happiness was short-lived.
A disagreement that erupted among villagers shortly after has now led to the disconnection of at least one water supply pipeline.
The borehole is located in the Epasha village but supplies water to neighbouring villages — Okapashona-1, Okapashona-2, Ohenghono, Elundu, Ondwi, and Eemboo.
However, the residents of the Elundu village are once again consuming water that is not fit for human consumption after their pipeline was disconnected two weeks ago due to disagreements over how much villagers have to contribute towards the borehole’s operation and preservation and the alleged arbitrary and unilateral decision-making.
It is alleged that the residents of Epasha, where the borehole is located, feel that the borehole is their property and are free to make decisions without the involvement of residents of neighbouring villages.
One of the decisions that left many villagers dissatisfied mandates that every household in all seven villages pay an annual membership fee of N$100 and also contribute N$20 per month towards the allowance of a volunteer operator of the borehole.
There is widespread dissatisfaction, not only because at least six villages were excluded from the decision-making process, but also about the “exorbitant” amounts being demanded from the villagers.
The number of households in the seven villages is estimated to be over 200. If each household contributes N$100 per year in membership fees and N$20 per month towards the allowance of the volunteer operator, then the membership fee would be N$20,000 per year, while the part-time volunteer would earn a cool N$4,000 per month.
According to one villager: “that is something many full-time employees can only dream about.”
Because of their disagreement and refusal to comply with the decisions, Elundu residents are back to square one. They are once again depending on the same earthdam they relied on before the commissioning of the borehole.
The village headman, Kauna Hangula, reportedly tried to resolve the dispute amicably by contacting his Epasha village counterpart Ndemudina Ndove and the constituency councillor Festus Ikanda, but no solution was reached.
Contacted for comment, Epasha village headman Ndemudina Ndove confirmed that pipelines to two villages — Ondwi and Elundu — were disconnected because of villagers’ refusal to pay.
However, he refuted allegations that the decisions were either arbitrary or unilateral.
“The decisions were taken by consensus by a committee representing all the affected villages,” he said.
According to him, village heads will meet this Saturday to further discuss the matter and, hopefully, come up with a solution.
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