President Hage Geingob helped kick off the new rural electrification project Kalkfeld settlement in the Otjozondjupa Region on Sunday. 

The peri-urban rural electrification under CENORED, is targeting to connect 100 housing units that were constructed in 2015.

The houses to be electrified were built under the Shack Dwellers Federation.

"We are pushing for Kalkfeld to come to its original status of at least a village council. We are happy to have you here, Your Excellency. These people of shack dwellers are the beneficiaries sitting behind. They got their houses in 2015, some in 2018 and they did not have electricity. So his excellency can understand why I was with CENORED in cohorts, fighting that the people should get electricity," said the Chairperson of the Otjozondjupa Regional Council, Marlene Mbakera.

CENORED Board Chairperson, Moses Matjayi, said the company has adopted a Transformational Strategic Plan - a new Electrification Policy driven to provide electrification to 500 houses on the peri-urban grid.

"We have definitely started with projects we have budgeted for. We have already concluded Ombili in Otjiwarongo, where we have also concluded the new Cairo in Otavi. We have done projects in SaamStaan in Tsumeb. We are going to be looking at electrifying Ekunde in Okahandja. We are also looking at electrifying the build-together areas as well as the shack dwellers areas in Okakarara and we are very much excited to just mention some of those smaller projects that we have actually prepared. This financial year alone, we have budgeted to invest close to N$11 million within our areas of operation."

Matjayi added the Kalkfeld houses will be constructed at a cost of N$2 500 each and are expected to be completed within six months.

Crizelda Isete spoke on behalf of the beneficiaries. 

"Our plea today is nothing much, nothing more but we are just asking for assistance with some basic services, such as water and sanitation as these houses have been standing without these services for almost four years. Further, we have also applied for 150 plots from the council as we still have more community members with housing needs. Shack Dwellers Federation is the only program that can feel this need and if this needs I am taken off our people will have shelter, a sense of ownership and patriotism."

Kalkfeld is located 70 kilometers southwest of Otjiwarongo and is home to over five thousand inhabitants.