Opuwo – The Opuwo Town Council, in a recent meeting at the town council chambers, re-elected its councillors to their existing positions, maintaining the current leadership structure. The election, held on Tuesday, saw Rosa Mbinge-Tjeundo, a councillor from the Popular Democratic Movement (PDM), retain her position as mayor after receiving an unopposed nomination from her party colleague, Kaare Lucuis Mupya.

According to Namibia Press Agency (NAMPA), Kasipo Kakondo, also a PDM councillor, will continue as Mbinge-Tjeundo’s deputy. In addition to these appointments, Kaare Lucuis Mupya was re-elected as the chairperson of the management committee. PDM’s Forester Matjiru Tjijahura and Swapo veteran Wilhelmine Nashihua also maintained their roles as additional members of the management committee.

The council will also see ongoing contributions from Swapo members Victorino Simon and Ruth Nderura, who will persist in their roles as regular council members. The swearing-in ceremony for the councillors was conducted by Opuwo district magistrate Eden Kuneni Amutenya.

In her acceptance speech, Mayor Mbinge-Tjeundo expressed her dedication to serving the residents of Opuwo. She emphasized her commitment to operate with diligence and integrity, focusing on unity and collaboration. The mayor acknowledged the challenges faced by the town, including issues related to water, land, and housing. She expressed confidence in the resilience of the Opuwo community to overcome these challenges and transform them into opportunities for growth and development.

Mbinge-Tjeundo further stated that her tenure as mayor would be characterized by transparency, accountability, and inclusivity. She vowed to work tirelessly to improve the quality of life for all residents and to ensure that Opuwo remains a community that its inhabitants are proud to call home.

Kajiado County media personnel received a one-day training from Consumer Grassroots Association (CGA) experts on Agroecology, food sustainability, food systems, and climate change.

The scribes were tipped on how they can relay information at the grassroots level for a better understanding of how Agroecology plays a key role in environmental conservation during climate change. Dr. Alice Kemunto emphasizes the media’s role in promoting better food production, climate change mitigation, and environmental conservation, urging journalists to be trained in Agroecology reporting.

Dr. Kemunto emphasizes the importance of media in providing information and promoting agroecology, highlighting its role in educating consumers and contributing to climate change mitigation through gadgets and stories.

‘Media is everything that we need at this point and age because through the media everybody will be able to get this information and media personnel should pride themselves because they are carrying the community in their
gadgets and their stories. So media plays a key role in ensuring that consumers know about agro-ecologists and contribute positively towards mitigating climate change’, he said.

The training provided an opportunity for journalists and CGA experts to discuss consumer issues, improve food production, and educate communities about agroecology.

‘We want to bring a new concept that needs to be accepted and its uptake to come in handy when we are all facing issues of climate change and this is agroecology. Agroecology is taking us back to the way we used to do things, the traditional way of growing food, the traditional way of relating with organisms, and that method was not affecting the environment, hence we are encouraging consumers to go back to the old ways of doing things and that way we will regenerate the soils, regenerate the way we are living and ensure there is a turn around on issues of climate change’, noted Dr. Kemunto.

He assured journalists that their organization will work closely with the count
y government of Kajiado and other stakeholders to ensure that the bills related to agroecology that have been passed are implemented, they will also contribute the resources they acquire and partner with the county government to assist them perform their duties.

Bus radio station manager Victor Juma and Juuadio Domus head of programs Tracy Obinge while representing the journalists highlighted what they got from the training and the actions they intend to take as media personnel.

‘My take home is, as journalists we have work to do concerning agroecology. We have realized that there are consumers who buy food and do not understand the preparation process and chemicals used to prepare food and I have learnt that information is power and if we understand what to inform the public, we can transform their lives’, noted Juma.

Obinge highlighted the significant impact of daily interactions with the community at their level, particularly regarding agroecology, which is essential for understanding the source and imp
ortance of food they consume.