The Chairperson of the Otjinene Village Council, Lesley Kauandara, says plans to have the village graduate into a fully-fledged town council in 2025 are on track.

Kauandara shared this in an exclusive interview with the nbc News team at Otjinene.

Police in the Omaheke Region have recorded more cases of housebreaking during the festive season, with zero fatalities reported on public roads due to accidents.

The Otjinene Village Council, in collaboration with Cenored, is set to electrify 47 houses constructed under the Shack Dwellers Federation programme. 

The first phase of electrification has a budget of N$1.2 million. 

A member of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Natural Resources, Mike Venaani, is of the opinion that much still needs to be done to develop Gam settlement and its surrounding areas.

Venaani remarked on this after a visit to the area.

Self-governance, education, health, and social services are some of the key pillars in advancing the interests of the Ovaherero people, which is part of the Ovaherero traditional authority's mandate.

The Ovambanderu Traditional Authority concluded its 2023 activities with the inauguration of a sub-station commando at Otjijarua in the Epukiro Constituency. 

The commando serves as an assembly point for special gatherings.

The Gobabis Municipality has embarked on a land surveying process at Kanaan Informal Settlement, aimed at developing the settlement and ensuring the delivery of long-awaited services, from title deeds to water and electricity.

The process will see all 4,500 registered plots at the settlement demarcated. 

The Social Security Commission (SSC), through its development fund, has funded the Gebedplass San Self-Help Project at Otjozohungu in the Otjombinde Constituency.
 
The project, which consists of dairy cows, welding, a vehicle, and an office, was set up at a cost of over N$1 million.

Alcohol and drug abuse are some of the key factors leading to gender-based violence (GBV), hence the need for more awareness campaigns and advocacy to root out social ills.

This sentiment was shared at an event on the 16 days of activism at Leonardville in Omaheke's Aminuis constituency.

Melba Tjozongoro of the Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) and Nona Gorases of the Swapo Party both retained their positions as Mayor and Deputy Mayor, respectively, at the Gobabis Town Council.