The City of Windhoek (CoW) has expressed concern over the theft of newly planted flowers, trees, and shrubs around the city.

There has always been a feeling that the western side of the capital city is neglected.

But in recent times, the City of Windhoek has been on a campaign to transform the western side, and Arbor Day was yet another transformation.

The municipality planted these flowers, trees, and shrubs—the greenery that beautified Independence Avenue.

It is a new look that came at a cost of N$70,000, but some of the plants have already been stolen by some unscrupulous elements.

The Manager of Corporate Communication at the City of Windhoek, Harold Akwenye, says, 
"A week before month-end, we had our Arbor Day commemoration, so together with a few stakeholders, we decided to plant a few trees just to beautify our city and also to commemorate the day. We did the planting through out the whole of Independence Avenue up to Katutura, but unfortunately, what happened was that we came to realize that most of the planted trees and shrubs were uprooted; in other words, they were absolutely stolen, which is a setback for the city itself in terms of its beautification efforts that we were striving to, and also a good image for the city itself when it comes to people visiting the city itself and for us driving in our city seeing that it is beautified—mostly for the future of our kids."

The city has requested the support and cooperation of residents in preserving these plants.

"We hope that the next trees that we are going to plant are going to be of the same amount again. I hope that with the help of the residence, we are going to see them grow and also for them to be a good look to the eye."