The Zambezi Regional Council has handed over three transformers, valued at N$238,000, to three villages in the Linyanti Constituency.
The transformers, funded through the constituency's community development fund with the regional council, will benefit villages such as Malihela, Makanga, and Sibbinda West.
Speaking at the handover on Thursday, the chief regional officer for Zambezi regional council, Regina Ndopu-Lubinda, congratulated the constituency councillor and residents.
"Allow me to really congratulate Linyanti Constituency, and I would like the residents to congratulate the honourable councillor who is the first councillor to have his projects completed, and we are here today to receive this important infrastructure."
She applauded the councillor for having chosen rural electrification, saying it is important for crossing the digital divide and ensuring that learners have the resources they require, both at school and at home.
The Linyanti constituency councillor, Iven Kabunga, cautioned residents to take care of the new infrastructure and further pleaded with the regional council's leadership to assist senior citizens who may not be able to afford the costs of transferring electricity to their homes via transformers.
"We still have three senior citizens, three of them, who cannot manage to pull electricity from this transformer to their households, so you should expect them, you will see them in your offices to ask for your help."
The chairperson of the regional council's management committee and councillor for Katima Mulilo Rural Constituency Warden Simushi urged the community to shed the notion that councillors have regular funds at their disposal at any given time.
Simushi explained that the local offices rely on the line ministries.
"We make meetings with them, and if they tell us there are no funds for that particular building, there's nothing we can do, that is the problem, that is why we are pushing for the constituency development fund to be endorsed by parliament, because we have realised in other countries like in Zambia, the constituency development fund is working properly."