Residents of Sekondomboro in the Okavango East have voiced their frustrations over the lack of development in their community, expressing concerns about the slow pace of progress since the village was established.
Speaking during a recent kgotla meeting addressed by the Assistant Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Ignatius Moswaane, community members outlined several key issues affecting their daily lives.
In her update of the village developments, VIllage Development Committee (VDC) Chairperson, Ketshabile Seayo complained about the bad state of their road.
She added that the village Chief has no office, making it difficult for him to perform his daily duties. Seayo further complained about limited numbers of public servants for essential services such as health and law enforcement, highlighting that there is only 1 nurse n the village who gets overwhelmed by the work. “There are 2 police officers who cover both Sekondomboro and Tobera villages,” she added.
The Chairperson touched on the issue of sanitation, noting that ablutions at Sekondomboro Primary School have long been blocked so are the civil servants accomodation. She lamented that students end up using nearby bushes.
Kgosi Mokhanga Mokoya of Sekondomboro was among those who raised concerns, noting that the village continues to be subjected to underdevelopment. He highlighted the absence of a tribal office and the Kgosi’s secretary noting that it is difficult to perform his duties without one. He also stressed the urgent need for proper housing for civil servants posted to the area.
Meanwhile, a resident Moshe Moyevu complained about delayed land allocations saying that residents have not been allocated land since 2012 which disadvantage them in accessing government programmes, citing the newly Bonno Housing Scheme and free electricity installation.
He also decried delayed service provision by land board such as land transfers which he lamented take forever to be completed.
In response, Assistant Minister Moswaane acknowledged the development challenges faced by many rural communities but emphasised that meaningful progress is possible if residents work together and embrace self-reliance. He reminded the gathering that government initiatives such as the Ipelegeng program were created to empower communities to take an active role in improving their environment.
Moswaane reiterated that while the national economy is currently strained, government remains committed to increasing Ipelegeng wages once conditions improve. “Our goal is to ensure that Ipelegeng workers are better compensated so they can live with dignity,” he said.
He also encouraged Ipelegeng workers to seize opportunities for personal growth by enrolling in vocational training programs, which could enable them to take on more technical tasks such as maintaining public infrastructure.
The assistant minister concluded by assuring the residents that despite financial limitations, the government is working to honor its development promises, and communities like Ikoga will not be left behind.
