Affordable Housing Must Be Reviewed:Jerry Ekandjo

Legislative and institutional framework relating to infrastructure development and the National Housing Policy are amongst a number strategies required to address informal settlement in Namibia, says Local Government Minister, Jerry Ekandjo.

Speaking at a public lecture at the Polytechnic of Namibia in Windhoek on Monday evening, Ekandjo said that one factor of grave concern is the current legislative and institutional frameworks governing the delivery of infrastructure.

Ekandjo said that informal settlements have increased exponentially in Namibia, and continue to do so, largely due to an influx of people from rural to urban areas in search of better opportunities and employment.

Informal settlers occupy land that is not prepared and habitable by human standards, as they find themselves living in shacks in areas where there is no provision of basic services.

"This state of affairs is attributable not only to a lack of employment, but also to a number of factors which has led to housing ownership not being affordable," Ekandjo said.

Turning his attention to one of the Government's two housing provision mechanisms, the Build Together Programme, the Local Government Minister said it needs to increase the range of its clientele to include those at lower and higher income brackets. "More accountability and better implementation of the programme needs to be put in place," Ekandjo said.

Ekandjo also called for the NHE to expand its capacity to establish a construction department as well as to carry out all land delivery processes.

He called on the NHE to spearhead efforts in securing funds from local and external institutions, as well as increase its financial portfolio to cater to all categories of housing development.

He also indicated that his ministry was busy considering the establishment of a technical department staffed with professionals and administrators to deal with all matters related to housing development.

Rukoro's Behaviour Can't Be Condoned

Sport Commission of Namibia says it will not condone the behaviour of the Namibia Football Association's secretary general, Barry Rukoro, who is accused of assaulting a consultant after a media conference at Soccer House in Katutura. Rusten Mogane, head of the Sport Commission, said although it is an internal NFA matter, Rukoro is a senior official in the sport fraternity and should be "tolerant" with the media. When approach for comment John Muinjo, president of NFA promised to call back, but later ignored his cellphone and could not be reached. It is not known whether the NFA will launch an official investigation into the assault allegations against its top administrator.

Rukoro is accused of having punched an independent consultant, Andreas Nowotny, after the media briefing on Tuesday, where the match kit was handed over and the venue for tomorrow's Leo NFA Cup Final was announced.

Nowotny is believed to have irritated Rukoro with his persistent questions about Heinrich Isaacks, the captain of Civics, who is suspended from playing the final against Eleven Arrows.

It would appear that Rukoro did not take kindly to Nowotny's line of questioning and approached him after the media briefing.

Nowotny is now threatening to lay a charge of assault against Rukoro if the latter does not apologise to him publicly.

"Look, Barry Rukoro just punched me on the mouth," is what a flustered Nowotny said as he rushed into the media room at the Namibia Football Association's Soccer House on Tuesday morning.

Nowotny claimed that the NFA's secretary general initially subjected him to a verbal tirade before hitting him in the face.

Having invited the media and guests to help themselves to refreshments, Rukoro followed Nowotny outside the media room where he allegedly attacked him before the administrator hurriedly left the scene to seek refuge in his office.

"I was shocked," Nowotny said. "I did not expect this from him."

In contrast Rukoro said: "He is taking chances. In fact he was telling me things... actually insulting me as I was leaving the venue."

However, Nowotny claims Rukoro called him a few hours after the alleged attack to apologise. The Austrian national, who is married to a Namibian and has lived in the country for two and a half years, said he would open a case of assault against Rukoro with the Namibian Police unless he gets a public apology.

"While I was at my doctor to get an affidavit, Barry Rukoro called me twice and wanted to apologise," he said.

"I told him I'd have to think about it. I also told him that I would like him to apologise in public because he punched me in a public place. It's only fair.

Stars in shambles as Namibia trip aborts

National soccer Harambee Stars has cancelled the trip to Namibia which was to serve as the training base before facing Angola in their 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier on 4thJune in Luanda.

Foreign players including skipper Denis Oliech, strikers Allan Wanga and George ‘ Blackberry ' Odhiambo were expected to link up with the team next week at their training camp in Windhoek before the trip was cancelled.

The final squad of 18 players for the 2012 Africa cup of nation's qualifier against the Palancas Negras of Angola was named Thursday.

Harambee Stars revived their hopes of featuring in the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time since 2004 when they came from behind to beat visitors Angola 2-1 in a 2012 group ‘J' qualifier at the Nyayo national stadium earlier in March.

We don’t know what’s going on. We were all packed and ready to travel but on the way to the airport the trip stopped and the bus turned back. Nobody has told us anything,” one player.

Harambee Stars team manager Edward Oduor said they were awaiting for further advice from Hussein Swaleh, the Football Kenya Limited technical affairs chairman.

Swaleh said he did not understand why the trip had failed yet everything had been arranged including playing an international against Namibia on Monday.

He referred all inquiries to Sports Commissioner Gordon Oluoch, who sits in the Harambee Stars Management Board but he could not be reached, and so was board chairman Evans Kidero.

“The trip is under the board. It is for them to explain why it failed,” FKL chairman Mohammed Hatimy said.

The team was asked to return to their hotel midway to the airport to board their flight to Windhoek, Namibia, where they were scheduled to play the host on Monday.

Most Harambee Stars board members contacted were unwilling to comment on the aborted trip with Hussein Swaleh referring journalists to Commissioner of Sports Gordon Oluoch who was not picking his phone.

The national coach said this has interfered with his plans and he has to continue training the whole weekend to catch up for any miss.

"We had our training program for the next four days lined up with the match against Namibia factored in. Now that we are not travelling we have to make use of this time to make up for it," he said.

Otieno said he would consult with Football Kenya to see whether he can schedule a match against Libya who are in the country for a two-week training camp on their way to Comoros for the Nations Cup qualifier.

"I’m not sure whether Libya can agree to step in. This will be a good catch up," he said.

Football Kenya vice-chairman Erastus Okul said the trip was called off due to lack of funds.

"I hope now everybody can appreciate how difficult it is to raise funds for the team and that we have always done our best whenever we were in charge.