Some opposition parties have slammed the government's decision to discontinue the drought relief programme, saying it was premature and was done without consultations.
Prime minister Elijah Ngurare in the National Assembly on Thursday announced the end of the drought-relief programme for the 2024/25 season countrywide. Secretary general of the Popular Democratic Movement (PDM), Manuel Ngaringombe, said the decision should have been made after an assessment on how recent rainfall has impacted Namibia.
Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) spokesperson Rhingo Mutambo yesterday said a decision to roll out a new drought-relief programme would be determined by a national vulnerability assessment and its needs, as well as an emergency declaration by the president.
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"The available information is that Namibia has received more than enough rain this year that can sustain both people and animals. If there is a need for drought-relief food, it will be declared and announced by the president," he said.
OPM executive director Gladice Pickering also confirmed that the Cabinet has not approved any programme for 2025/26.
"The prime minister needs to explain how he came to the conclusion that drought-relief food is no longer needed. Many households in regions are living below the breadline. Households in regions such as the Kunene and Erongo have lost most of their animals due to consecutive droughts in those regions.
"The announcement may be premature, unless a thorough study was done on how the rain has impacted the lives of low-income households in rural areas," Ngaringombe said.
Despite receiving rain, some households have no cattle or small livestock, he said.
The Otjozondjupa, Omaheke, Kavango West and East, Ohangwena, //Kharas and Hardap regions are classified as poverty-stricken regions, Ngaringombe said.
"The PDM has, therefore, requested the OPM to do an assessment of how the drought relief had aided life in many households and whether the rainfall indeed had a positive impact on the economic situation of the poor households," he said.
Landless People's Movement local authority councillor at Otjiwarongo, Sebeteus Kuiteb, questions what will happen to the people who were benefiting from drought relief programme. He says the prime minister was supposed to engage various households who will be affected for better alternatives. "This is clear poor planning from the Swapo government, and this will affect them in the upcoming elections. People are hungry on the ground and as a councillor on a daily basis people come to me asking to be added onto the regional council's office list to receive food," he told The Namibian yesterday.
Kuiteb argued that the challenges faced by food distribution should not be blamed on theft or lack of storage but on the implementers. Kuiteb said many people continue to look for food at the dumpsite at Otjiwarongo with political parties at times using the opportunity to collect votes by giving food on site. "We all know this very well and Swapo uses this strategy all the time but stopping the drought relief programme will certainly affect those who relied on the handouts. He says the OPM must come clarify and introduce a new plan before it is too late "We are trying to eradicate poverty, but now we are sending vulnerable families straight into poverty," he said.
Tsumeb councillor Gotty Ndjendjela says the programme had notended but only the mode of food handouts, which has migrated from direct foodparcels to the voucher system. "A beneficiary gets a voucher which she/he presents to a supplier to claim food. That doesn't mean that the regional offices will not come to the rescue of destitute communities in case they don't qualify for a voucher," he says.
Ngurare said the 2023/24 drought was the most severe in the country's recent history.
These adverse conditions have affected the livelihoods of many Namibians and compromised the food security of over 384 935 households, equivalent to 1.4 million people, he said.
Ngurare said the government has taken cognisance of the delay and backlogs encountered and has, therefore, devised a plan for the regional councils to complete the distribution of food by 31 August.
He said the government will embark on various targeted resilience-building programmes in collaboration with all line ministries and development partners to enhance food production.
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To date, a total of N$1.2 million in cash, and food items valued at N$793 858 have been received from local companies and individuals.
Additionally, international donors have contributed approximately a total of N$160 million worth of food items.
These include Qatar, China, and India.
Furthermore, Algeria and Malaysia contributed cash donations of N$17.7 million and N$710 million respectively, Ngurare said.
Additional donations valued at N$26 million were also received and implemented through various implementing entities such World Food Programme and the Namibia Red Cross Society.
A total of N$100 million was allocated for water provision projects under the nationwide drought-relief programme, he said.
To date, N$99.7 million has been spent on key projects, including the Onamatanga water pipeline, which is at 99% completion stage, and the drilling, rehabilitation and installation of 42 boreholes in the Erongo (three), Hardap (one), Kavango West (six), Khomas (four), Kunene (seven), Ohangwena (six), Omaheke (six), Omusati (three), Oshikoto (four), and Zambezi (two) regions.
