By:Kandjengo kaMkwaanyoka
Before I go further, I want to confess that I am from Oshakati, Okandjengedi pokeefe yatate Jesaya.
I just want to pick a fight with the leadership in charge of my place of birth, the youth and economic facilitators there, and then myself.
Colleagues, does anyone know what is happening in Oshakati, economically? In all honesty, have you ever picked up a newspaper regarding any innovation being reported from Oshakati?
Are the ancestors mad at the leadership for relocating the omatala/open market from the centre to a low traffic place, perhaps?
Why is the town, which is regarded as the capital of the north disappearing from economic conversations?
Or perhaps it’s been a while since I have visited Okandjengedi. There are traffic lights now in my location. Back then, we only had aMosque.
Despite its greatest assets, a beautiful stadium, a referral hospital, a diversity of people, and a flood plain, my town is still in the shadow of Ongwediva.Yet Oshakati is the town which is fed by a more than 150 kilometre water canal, from the Cuvelai flood plain in Angola- that is how special the town is.
Secondly, it is the only town in Namibia, apart from Windhoek, that has a central bank. Even though we don’t print money, it should still mean something. The bank’s Governor was there for the July Monetary Policy announcement.
Tatekulu Governor, I read you gave a lecture to the youth on monetary matters but did you manage to make a turn at the office of the municipality which is just behind the central bank’s office? Perhaps you can give them a lecture on economic diversification?
Tate Shiimi is going around the country giving lectures on economic diversification. I just hope he is also structuring his budget to enable economic diversification.
Apart from taxi businesses, malls, shebeens, street vendors, building material retailers, fuel services, nokamoongo kaaNghandjera- what other economic activities are happening in my hometown?
Alright, we have managed to build in the floodplain behind Etango, what else are we boosting about?
This is the town with around four secondary schools, with the mighty Iipumbu Secondary School, facing the small Oshakati SSS- some of the oldest schools that have produced various experts.
Did Oshakati go with Oshakati City Soccer club?
I promise, I am being sincere in my questions. What are the unique economic developmental plans happening in Oshakati? When was the last time the town even held a seminar on anything?
Does our town have an investment plan to build industries? What plans do you have for the youth that are graduating from the various campuses you have and various secondary schools?
Thus, I am asking what is happening in the town economically, commercially or innovatively because given the number of secondary schools, universities, and vocational training centres, Oshakati produces more youth graduates or can I say educated youth (depending on the quality of education).
However, despite these youthful riches and training institutions, the town economy seems stagnant. Even though it is supposed to benefit from the various graduates to facilitate the building of industries.
Colleagues, Oshakati is the same town with a struggling abattoir, but growing up, that side of Mburu – when you are about to exit, there was an open place where informal auctions of animals used to take place.
The town has also an army base, the biggest network tower is there- so what is missing infrastructure-wise in Oshakati that is hindering economic progress?
Oshakati is quite special to me because Onawa village gave me a grandmother, while Omatala gaShakati taught me economics.
Secondly, that open market provided the biggest trading exchange, harmony and a diversified economy that pulled people from Angola, everywhere in the north and the rest of the country.
Lastly, Omatala gaShakati provided a market for many rural producers like my mom to sell Ombike and earn a living – thus, I have so many questions about the economic development agenda of the town.
Anyway, I am asking these difficult questions from Windhoek, in Hakahana – but I want to come back home because, there we can walk during the night safely.
But a question that lingers in my head:What is Oshakati offering to pull back its graduates and other innovators?
I have a couple of solutions, but as the youth in your town, are you engaging them though? Windhoek is budding with conferences, seminars and entrepreneurship engagements. Perhaps Oshakati can emulate the mother city.
Before I forget, in my grade 11, the municipality gave us one big street lamp in Okandjengedi, putate Jesaya ngo opo, it was close to my mom’s ghetto. It assisted my community greatly and will never forget that.
Now, economic development is complex and requires thinkers and innovators. So create the enabling environment that fosters entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation.
You have the youth that are roaming the town and rural resources. Harness them otherwise me and the ancestors won’t forgive you for relocating to Omatala/open market. Also, you can call me for consultation I will gladly leave Windhoek for you, Omtata.
History and the youth are quite unkind to non-progressive economic leaders.
Unrelated, Makondo has been in Windhoek for years, we lived in Greenwell together, so it is not only me who left. Email: erastus@thevillager.com.na