The African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) held a consultation in Kavango East Region's Mashare Constituency with the communities on key governance and development challenges.
The engagement mainly focused on youth empowerment, service delivery, inclusive participation, decentralisation and challenges facing the region while validating progress under Namibia's Country Review Report.
"Our process is not to name or shame anybody, because the problem the governance challenges we face as Namibians can only be resolved by us Namibians. No one else will resolve our problems; whether it is education or health, it is us who solve them. We should discuss them," stated APRM National Secretariat's Chief Executive Officer, Lineekela Mboti.
Mboti noted that one of the challenges facing Namibia is tribalism and regionalism as well as ineffective implementation of national policies.
The Councillor for Mashare Constituency, Petrus Kashumali, applauded the Government for establishing the National Youth Development Fund to empower the youth.
"We are pleased to note that the government established the National Youth Development Funds during the 2025/2026 financial year, from which the Kavango East Region has also
benefited. I must also say from which the Mashare constituency youth benefited."
The community also raised their concerns.
"The teenage pregnancy has reached alarming levels within the area, leading to high dropouts among female learners, and this one spike directly attributes to two main factors, especially in my area. We have a lack of contraceptives in my area for those who know where Shambyu school is; you know that very well that the health facility which is available is Catholic, and Catholics, due to the religion, do not provide contraceptives. For the learners to get contraceptives, they have to hike or foot to Mashare clinic or to Kayengona, and it is very far."
"Regarding the food security in the Kavango East Region, we have so many green schemes, but yet people are from hunger-associated causes like what happened at Kayova. We therefore recommend that the government invest in these green schemes so that they produce affordable food for the communities to buy, because we can't afford to buy food from the local markets."