Matheus Singambwe has been appointed as the new chief regional officer of the Kavango West Regional Council, effective 1 December.

Singambwe previously served as the regional council's director for human resources management, finance, and administration, and is filling a position that had been vacant for more than a year.

He will serve in the position for five years.

The council officially welcomed Singambwe at the Nkurenkuru Expo Hall on Monday.

In his remarks, Singambwe pledged to prioritise people, processes, and systems during his tenure and emphasised accelerated and effective service delivery.

He also said he will enhance human capital investment and retention to achieve regional goals, and emphasised the need for decisive and targeted interventions to improve the livelihoods of Kavango West residents.

"I will strengthen public awareness of the council's mandate by increasing outreach efforts, aiming for better collaboration with the community, who are the owners of all government programmes," he said.

Singambwe outlined his commitment to improving financial management, risk systems, and addressing food insecurity.

Egidius Nambara, the outgoing acting chief regional officer , on his part expressed confidence in Singambwe's abilities, saying they are fortunate to have someone from within the council to fill the role.

"We encourage teamwork, support, and unity to prepare the council for greater achievements," says Nambara.