25/08/2025
ICT ENGAGEMENT|Minister of ICT Emma Theofelus earlier today engaged with Kavango East leaders and stakeholders on ICT developments in the Region.
The meeting which focused on indetifying mobile network connectivity,availability of Television and radio services and digital literacy levels in the region was held at the Kavango East Regional Council.
Kavango East Governor Hamunyera Hambyuka welcomed the platform noting that “This engagement will streamline our planning process and foster collaboration across all stakeholders - central government, the regional council, public enterprises, and local communities to achieve tangible results for Kavango East”.
During the discussions Theofulus among other points, encouraged local leaders to meet network operators half way by availing land for towers noting that sometimes the struggle to acquire land for network operators contributes to delayed ICT development .
“Where traditional authorities actually are responsible for having land in the rural areas, we also struggle for them to avail that space, but we also noted that considering that in some areas the operator, especially if the area is in somebody's allocated land in their field or their main field and so on. Sometimes the are rental agreements with the owner of that area, but we also find that unfortunately when the operator wants to negotiate in terms of rental, citizens increase this amount of money quite high, when we know that the network connectivity will not only benefit the person who owns the land, but the entire community”.
The engagement was a necessary step in establishing gaps in connectivity that may exist so as to better assist the Ministry in planning and implementing future connectivity infrastructure.
Belinda Kulatau
