The Oshakati Town Council has begun relocating 180 families from the Oshoopala location to the Onawa reception area, which is situated on higher ground.

The affected families were informed by the town council to move from flood-prone areas in order to avoid the yearly displacement to temporary tents during the rainy season.

However, the council has raised concern that some residents deliberately settle illegally in flood-prone areas within Oshana and later blame local authorities when flooding occurs, demanding relocation to permanent settlements.

It was further noted that in some cases, individuals who are relocated free of charge to safer areas end up selling the allocated plots and return to flood-prone zones, only to demand relocation again. 

Leonard Hango is Oshakati Town Council's mayor. 

"We have assumed with the relocation of the residents here because they settled themselves in the flood-prone area, and every year we have to relocate them when the flood comes, but following her communication we had with the Head of State, Dr Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, the last relocation for these people should be the last incident; the people need to be relocated to high ground, so we are following on that instruction given by the Head of State to ensure that come this year all the people here are relocated."

The business community and good Samaritans are called upon to meet the council halfway to assist where they can with building materials to enable relocated people to set up proper dwellings.

Relocated people are given plots with water connected for free, while electricity and the sewer line will follow at a later stage.

Oshana Governor Hofni Iipinge visited the relocation site to assess the relocation process, assuring the affected families that his office has bought building materials to assist people who have old or damaged materials requiring replacement.

"I want to congratulate our brothers and sisters from the local council and the colleagues that are being relocated today for agreeing to be relocated, as the sky looks promising and we will have more rain again this year, and we need to be more proactive so that we make sure we provide a better place for our people when the rain comes. Our people are relocated already, and we are not going to face challenges when it comes to relocating people in the middle of the rain. We are doing it now while it's early."

He lashed out at some bad elements who were instigating people to demonstrate and denounce relocation to a new place.

"I am very happy that they are cooperating, and those who are instigating people to go and demonstrate, shame on them because our people are not there for that, and they are not going to do that. We spoke to them, and they understand what the need is for them to be relocated."