Staff Reporter
THE mayor of Oshakati Town, Leonard Hango, has tabled a budget of N$350,144,407 for the financial year 2025/2026. The total estimated operating income equals the estimated expenditure, leaving no deficit and no surplus.
In his budget speech, Hango not only highlighted the projections for the next twelve months, but also provided a summary of the projects that have been successfully completed and those that are still in progress.
Hango said that the Council is addressing the town’s perennial flooding and that phase one of the stormwater drainage master plan was implemented, covering flood-prone areas in the Uupindi and Oneshila informal settlements.
PICTURED: Mayor of Oshakati Town, Leonard Hango. Photo: Oshakati Town Council
The mayor also spoke of the Council’s efforts to curb unemployment among the youth, noting that the Council has provided temporary jobs to 112 young people at the cost of N$4.5 million this year alone.
The Town Council has also embarked on an apprenticeship programme in Plumbing and Pipe Fitting (Level 3), which is a tripartite joint venture project between the Oshakati Town Council, the Namibia Training Authority, and the Valombola Vocational Training Centre (VVTC). As part of the programme, the Town Council has taken in 20 students to enable them to acquire practical experience from Council mentors while also attending theoretical classes at the VVTC.
The programme’s budget stands at N$1,072,000 per year.
According to Hango, the Council employs ad hoc employees when the need arises, and the budgeted amount for such temporary work is N$80,000 this financial year.
The 2025/26 budget includes funding for the upgrading of roads and the construction of gravity sewer networks and water reticulation infrastructure, among others.
The Council, through the Mayoral Development Fund and supported by the business fraternity of Oshakati, procured household items for residents of the town who have been affected by fire incidents. The same fund also supported elderly residents of Oshakati aged 70 and above with blankets and mosquito nets, and procured materials such as poles, nets and cement that will be used to establish small informal sports fields like soccer, netball and volleyball around town.
Overall, the items procured by the Mayoral Fund totalled N$200,000.
“In an effort to create advanced recreational facilities in town,” said Hango, “Council is upgrading the existing recreation park at a total cost of N$1.5 million.”
The Council is also embarking on a project to install prepaid water meter systems around town. Phase one includes the pilot project of procuring and installing prepaid water meters in certain parts of town, which will cost N$726,570.
While Council emphasizes the importance of every household having its own ablution facility on each plot, Hango said that possibility remains a challenge since not all residents have the means to build toilets on their properties. “To address this,” he said, “Council has made budgetary provision of N$150,000 for the construction of shared toilets in some informal settlements, with a particular focus on the Onawa location.”
To enhance environmental and waste management efforts, the Council has deployed 20 new refuse skip containers throughout the town to support clean-up campaigns and curb illegal dumping. This project cost Council N$350,000 for the skip containers and N$350,000 for wheelie bins.
According to the mayor, the Council has initiated a project to construct Council flats in an effort to increase the Council’s assets and revenue base, while also addressing the accommodation needs of job seekers coming to Oshakati. The project began with phase one in the 2023/2024 financial year. Phase two has been successfully implemented in the current 2024/2025 financial year, with an allocation of N$4.8 million dedicated to its completion.
The project is expected to be finalised by 31 July this year.
Hango pointed out that Council is continuing its efforts to formalise informal settlements in the town, including the Alignment Project for Okandjengedi South Extensions 1 and 2. The project aimed to create access roads and align essential services, including water and sewer pipelines, as well as electricity lines. It was successfully completed at a cost of N$200,000.
In addition to formalising informal settlements, the Council’s Planning and Properties Department successfully surveyed Oneshila location at a total cost of N$577,890.
The Council has also successfully formalised Onawa Extensions 7, 8, and 10 as part of an ongoing process. Once the formalisation process is completed, residents of these areas will be eligible to obtain title deeds for their respective plots. The project is expected to cost the Council N$650,000.
With regard to the tariff structure, Hango added that the Council has agreed that the tariff fees for some municipal services will be adjusted from 1% to 5%, while other services will be adjusted in line with ministerial directives.
