The Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (MICT) has constructed four new network towers in the Kavango West Region to improve connectivity in rural communities.

Through Mobile Telecommunications Limited (MTC), the MICT has constructed four additional network towers in the Kavango West Region during the 2025/2026 financial year as part of efforts to close the digital communication gap in rural communities.

Two towers were erected in the Mpungu Constituency, while the Tondoro and Ncuncuni constituencies each received one tower.

Residents of Mupapama and surrounding villages have welcomed the development, saying the newly erected communication tower has significantly improved network coverage in the area, making it easier to access mobile and internet services.

During a visit by the MICT Kavango West regional team to Mupapama village, former Ohangwena Governor Sebastian Ndeitunga, who was at his farm in Tare village, expressed satisfaction with the improved network connectivity, saying it has enhanced communication in the area. 

However, he stressed that development should go beyond network coverage and called on the government to improve road infrastructure as well.

"MTC has extended the service, particularly at Mupapama, and now the coverage here is really, really successful. We would love for other government institutions to emulate NamPower and MTC to, you know, bring the service close to the community, particularly the road network, because these roads are very bad and they really need some attention."

Ndeitunga also raised concerns over poor radio reception, saying weak radio signals continue to limit access to information and current affairs taking place in the region and the country.

"So the radio, the radio coverage here, is very, very poor. If I say it's non-existent, so are people here; they are in darkness. They don't know what is happening in the country. Can we please implore the colleagues that are dealing with the radio coverage network to look into the issue of coverage in this area?"

Meanwhile, some residents in the Tondoro Constituency say that despite the construction of a new tower in the area, network connectivity challenges persist.

Community members claim that many residents are still unable to effectively use mobile communication services due to weak and unstable MTC network coverage at Naimanya village and surrounding areas. They say the poor connectivity is also affecting operations at the Catholic Mission health facility in the constituency.

Maria Mbangu is an enrolled nurse at Tondoro Catholic Missionary.

"It's really affecting us a lot in terms of communication, mostly when we are communicating with the doctors or when people from outreach or surrounding Tondo are calling so that we can go and get the patient. It's very hard because there's no network at all, so it's affecting us a lot, and we need help from the government, whoever is responsible for this, so that they can also help us to put in the connection, mostly the MTC, because so far the tower, which they built here, is only connecting with Telecom Namibia."

While some communities are benefiting from improved connectivity, others say network challenges remain and are calling for urgent intervention.