Lukato promises free plots

Lukato promises free plots• 'Country is rich enough' The National Democratic Party, which has won its first local council seat, has promised to hand out free land and housing to turn Katima Mulilo into a boomtown. KENYA KAMBOWE

RUNDU



National Democratic Party (NDP) president Lukato Lukato says his party will hand out free plots to poor and unemployed residents of Katima Mulilo.

According to him, the country has enough resources to improve the lives of those living in poverty.

Lukato also said that reception areas would be established to accommodate people flocking to the town seeking opportunities to improve their lives. Lukato made these promises in an interview with Namibian Sun this week, after his party won its first local council seat since its formation in 2003. The NDP is represented by Watson Kaluka on the Katima Mulilo town council. NDP unsuccessfully contested both the 2010 and 2015 local elections at Katima Mulilo. The party did not win a seat outright in last November's local authority election, but the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) later reviewed the results and Kaluka was sworn in as councillor for Katima Mulilo in December 2020.

With the NDP now in a position of contributing to the development of Katima Mulilo, Lukato said they would push the agenda of their manifesto as far as service delivery is concerned. On the issue of land, Lukato said unemployed residents and particularly the youth would receive free plots at the town. Asked whether these plots would be serviced, Lukato said at first they would be un-serviced just to give people a roof over their heads, but eventually they would need to be serviced.

He said the local authority would have to ensure that such a programme was implemented. “If we are saying that Namibia is rich in resources, automatically the resources we have should be used to assist our people, especially the poor. Money is there, the regime in power is misusing the power to enrich themselves. If we use the resources properly, citizens of this country will not suffer like we see today,” Lukato argued. Lukato also indicated that the council would have to build flats to accommodate those flocking to the town in search of jobs. “The NDP will push for the construction of flats so that those who are flocking to Katima Mulilo looking for a better life can be accommodated while they are seeking employment,” Lukato said.

kenya@namibiansun.com