Sangwali — Judea Lyaboloma constituency councillor Vincent Sinalumbu has called for urgent investment in land servicing, water infrastructure, roads, healthcare, agriculture and telecommunications.
It is Sinalumbu's firm conviction that these remain among the most pressing development needs facing communities in the constituency.
Addressing the Batshara Annual Cultural Festival in Sangwali on Saturday, Sinalumbu said while progress has been made in some areas, the government must accelerate key projects that will improve the lives of residents.
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"There is much progress to report, and I acknowledge that progress with appreciation," he said. "Although some projects are not funded under the current development budget, discussions are underway to secure funding. I urge these discussions to be concluded without further delay so that our people may hold secure tenure and our settlement may grow in an orderly and dignified manner."
Among his key priorities was the completion of the Kongola-Sangwali-Kapani water pipeline, which he said would provide communities with safe drinking water while reducing human-wildlife conflict in settlements located within and around the Mudumu and Nkasa Rupara National Parks.
"Water remains the foundation of life and the foundation of all development," Sinalumbu said.
He also appealed for the construction of a new clinic at Sauswu, saying residents and schoolchildren currently travel long distances through wildlife corridors to access healthcare.
"This is not only a question of health access, but also a question of human safety," he said.
Sinalumbu further urged the government to improve road infrastructure by extending the tarred road in Sangwali to the health centre and nearby schools, tarring the Mutc'iku-Chinchimani-Lizazi road, and upgrading the Mutc'iku-Kongola cutline to improve access to essential services and markets.
Turning to regional integration, the councillor urged the governments of Namibia and Botswana to establish an official border crossing at Kawedu, noting that communities on both sides share close family and cultural ties but must currently travel hundreds of kilometres through existing border posts.
"We therefore urge the two governments to consider designating a border crossing at a more suitable place so that people may have an official crossing point to Botswana via Kawedu," he said.
On agriculture, Sinalumbu appealed to the government and the Agro-Marketing and Trade Agency to purchase maize directly from farmers in rural collection points to improve household incomes after this year's harvest despite locust outbreaks.
He also called for expanded green scheme projects and increased rice production, saying the region's floodplains offer significant agricultural potential.
In a bid to attract investment, Sinalumbu announced that the Mayeyi Traditional Authority has set aside land for agricultural development and invited both local and international investors to partner with the community.
"We have the land, we have the people, we have willing leadership. What we now seek are serious partners who will invest in production, value addition and the creation of jobs for our youth," he said.
The councillor also highlighted cattle theft as a growing concern, urging law enforcement agencies to strengthen efforts to protect farmers' livestock.
"A head of cattle is not mere property. It is a family's savings, a child's school fees and household security in hard times," he said.
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Sinalumbu further appealed for vocational training to be introduced at Sangwali Secondary School from 2027, the establishment of an open market for local traders and farmers, improved MTC mobile network coverage and radio reception, and greater investment in tourism infrastructure, including lodges within the region's national parks and conservancies.
He welcomed the restoration of social welfare services in the constituency after their suspension in 2023 and thanked those who facilitated their return. Sinalumbu said the requests presented were not complaints, but practical proposals aimed at improving the lives of residents.
"The matters I have placed before you today are not demands born of impatience. They are the reasonable aspirations of a people who have waited, who have cooperated, and who stand ready to work alongside the government to build their own future," he said.
