In an effort to reduce road crashes in the Kavango East Region, authorities have launched a Road Safety Forum with a Road Safety Committee.
Launching the Forum on behalf of Governor Hamunyera Hambyuka, Mukwe Constituency Councillor Augusta Katembo said the region expects the committee to devise strategies and solutions to address accidents in the region.
Katembo stressed that the national road safety agenda has a clear objective, which is to reduce deaths and serious injuries on the national roads.
"Our region has particular road-safety realities that require a coordinated response. We have pedestrians and cyclists sharing roads with heavy vehicles. We have settlements where people cross busy roads because there are no safe alternatives. We have livestock and other animals moving onto roads. We have long distances between communities and emergency services. We also continue to confront speeding, alcohol-impaired driving, un-roadworthy vehicles and drivers who disregard the rules of the road."
Rundu Deputy Mayor, Regina Nekare said road safety is not a matter for one office or institution as it touches every household.
"As the Town Council of Rundu, we pledge our full support to this forum. We will work with the Namibian Police Force, the National Road Safety Council and all stakeholders to ensure our roads within the town and across the region become safer for pedestrians, cyclists, motorists and public transport users alike."
" In February we were here, in Kavango West and Kavango East, we went through the road, we did an assessment in terms of why do we have, the high number of pedestrians that are run over within these regions and we noted that there's an element of tradition or custom that when we had our last meeting which took place in Divundu and then the governor told us that the community here they have a strong belief that the driver sees them as they walk on the road, is the responsibility of the driver to see them and not them to take precaution to stay out of the road. So that kind of culture to address it," stated NRSC's Executive Secretary, Eugene Tendekule.
Kavango East Police Commander, Andreas Haingura, is the Chairperson of the committee, while Petrina Kanyetu serves as Vice Chairperson.
Frans Kaundu is the Secretary, with Leevi Makuti serving as Vice Secretary. Petrus Heita is the Treasurer, while Alinda Haihambo is the Vice Treasurer.