Kunene Regional Governor Marius Sheya has presented Vice President Netumbo Nandi Ndaitwah with a briefing note detailing the goals the Regional Council hopes to achieve.

These range from road upgrades to drought relief assistance and the proclamation of the villages of Kamanjab, Torra Bay, and Terrace Bay to municipalities.

The note was presented during Nandi-Ndaitwah's regional visit, which started at Outjo in the presence of cabinet ministers, regional and local authority councillors, and other stakeholders.

The brief speaks to the need to upgrade Kamanjab to town council status, citing economic activities and achievements attained at the settlement.

Torra Bay and Terrance Bay are also proposed for upgrading to towns along the region's coastal route. 

Sesfontein, Fransfontein, and Okanguati are proposed to be upgraded to village councils.

The areas are all earmarked to benefit from the Henties Bay-Uis-Khorixas-Kamanjab-Opuwo major route linkage currently underway.

"We have a coastal line that stretches 500 kilometres in Kunene, but there is no town along that area; there is no economic activity taking place. So, what we have decided as a region is to say that we want at least Terrace Bay and Torra Bay to become towns, and we want to drive that initiative from the Regional Council level. Then also for Sesfontein, Fransfontein, and Okanguati to be village councils so that they can be able to bring services to the people."

Sheya also proposed for the second phase of the Henties Bay-Opuwo road upgrade to kick off from the Khorixas Junction.

Road upgrades are high on the agenda, as the vast and difficult terrains are said to hamper the rollout of services and drought relief to remote communities.

Nandi-Ndaitwah received the document and promised to study it with the relevant ministries and key offices.

She agreed that the lack of a proper road network affects service delivery, suggesting some of the proposed ideas were long overdue.