Allexer Namundjembo
Rundu urban constituency councillor Paulus Mbangu has called on government to take urgent action to stop recurring food poisoning incidents in the Kavango East and Kavango West regions.
He warned that continued delays are costing lives.
Speaking to Windhoek Observer on Monday, Mbangu said the two regions must be treated as a special priority.
He said targeted measures are needed to address food safety failures, poverty and the lack of local laboratory capacity to investigate deaths.
“I don’t know how many people the government is waiting to die so they act. I think for now the central government can take this issue very seriously. Cabinet is supposed to come up with a special program especially for these two regions,” Mbangu said.
He said food poisoning has claimed several lives in the Kavango regions and that poverty remains a major contributing factor.
“Many lives were lost, and when you look at this issue some of the contributing factors is the issue of poverty. I think it is about time for the government to act. They have seen this thing happening but not much has been done,” he said.
Mbangu also raised concern over the unresolved Ndiyona Constituency incident, where 16 people died.
He said families are still waiting for answers because laboratory results are not available.
“Sixteen people died but until now, the family wants closure for that particular accident but laboratory results are not yet out. Just imagine how painful it is. Even the police can’t finish with their investigations as the results are not available,” he said.
He criticised the reliance on South African laboratories and urged the Ministry of Health to invest in local testing facilities.
“It can’t be that our country is relying on other countries to find out what has killed our people. It is not right. The ministry of Health must invest in that so we can have our own laboratories,” Mbangu said.
Rundu Town Council councillor Patrick Kufuna also expressed concern, pointing to the recent incident involving learners at Katji na Katji Senior Secondary School, where more than 30 learners were rushed to a clinic after eating dinner.
“This is not the first time this has happened. We still remember the 2023 Kayova village tragedy where 15 people died from eating toxic porridge,” Kufuna said.
He said the incidents show food poisoning is a recurring problem that must be stopped.
“First, we must improve how food is handled in our schools and homes. The situation at Katji na Katji shows that we need better checks on the food served in hostels. Kitchen staff need proper training on how to store and cook food safely,” he said.
Kufuna also called for improved food literacy.
“This means helping people understand that food like mahangu can become poisonous if it gets wet or moldy. If we can teach people how to spot these dangers early, we can save many lives,” he said.
He said hunger forces many families to eat spoiled food.
“This is ‘desperate eating.’ We need to make sure our food banks are full and that no family or school is forced to use bad grain just to fill a stomach. No child should go to school to learn and end up in a hospital bed because of a meal. We must work together, leaders, parents, and schools, to make sure that the food in the Kavango regions is safe for everyone,” Kufuna said.
The Kavango East and Kavango West regions have recorded several suspected food poisoning outbreaks in recent years, affecting hundreds of people and resulting in deaths, mainly among children and vulnerable residents.
Many cases involved home-prepared meals such as pearl millet porridge and traditional dishes, while others were linked to contaminated water, fermented drinks and poorly stored food.
Political analyst Ndumba Kamwanyah said the repeated food poisoning cases point to gaps in food safety, hygiene, public awareness and poverty. He said stronger inspection and monitoring of food outlets, including open markets, informal vendors and small food businesses, are needed.
“Public education is also very important. Communities need regular awareness campaigns on safe food handling at home, proper cooking, handwashing, and the risks of consuming spoiled or improperly stored food. Many cases of food poisoning can be prevented through simple practices if people are well informed,” Kamwanyah said.
He added that access to clean water and proper sanitation must improve, as contaminated water is a major contributor to foodborne illness.
“There should be better reporting and response systems. When cases are detected early, health officials can quickly identify the source and prevent further spread,” he said.
