Tsumkwe Constituency Councillor Johannes Hausiku has responded to growing complaints from residents who say he has neglected his duties by failing to visit communities and address their concerns.

Hausiku sat down with NBC News to defend his record, stating, "People do not always speak positively about you; as councillors, we understand that when elected, we must face scrutiny from our constituents. When you go to the region, you will elect each other again. I was elected as a management committee member. As a member of the management committee, you are expected to dedicate time to your constituency. I have to travel long distances every two weeks for management committee meetings, which makes me unsure if people are saying, 'We don't see you,' or if there is another reason for their comments."

He said the constituency's vastness limits his physical presence.

Hausiku urged residents to communicate directly with his office, explaining that he cannot monitor every village without proper reporting.

"As you know, the constituency itself is so vast, starting from Eiseb until the Botswana border, Kavango up to Eden and Blystrom, which is where it ends. Now, for me now to go to each village is impossible, but maybe those who say they don't see me are the ones who stay far, but the rest of the villages, which are near here, I used to go there. Maybe they are expecting me to give them something, not just to see their faces."

Hausiku explained that his role as chairperson of the regional council requires frequent travel, which keeps him from his office.

"Since I was elected as a chairperson of the regional council, it became a challenge for me; even in the office here, it is not easy to find me at the office, so those who are staying in Tsumkwe know, because every week I have to travel. I have to be next to the CRO because everything that they have to send to the regions needs my signature, and I am staying in Tsumkwe."

He said that, despite these responsibilities, he understands that his constituents still expect him to be frequently visible on the ground.