• By Jeremiah Ndjoze 

Barely two years after joining the Popular Democratic Movement of Namibia (PDM), from the SWAPO Party, former national deputy secretary general of the Namibia National Students’ Organisation (Nanso), Gerson ‘River’ Kasinee, is in the fray for the leadership of the constituency office in Omatako. 

Kasinee told Confidente, this week, that he scooped the candidacy at the party’s just-concluded primaries. “I was head-hunted by certain influential members of the PDM who felt that I can make a difference in the constituency when it comes to spearheading developmental initiatives, on their party’s ticket and I obliged,” Kasinee said.

The constituency is currently governed by the National Unity Democratic Organisation (NUDO), with National Council parliamentarian, Israel Hukura, at the helm. Other political parties are yet to hold their primaries for the constituency but names such as hopefuls Ebben Zarondo and Erwin Katjiteo from the SWAPO Party and NUDO respectively, are being touted as possible campaigners. Attempts to get comments from the two, did not prove futile.

MOUNTAINS OF ISSUES
Being a native of Ovitoto, in the same constituency, Kasinee has it that he is not new to the challenges facing the locality and its inhabitants. 

“Omatako is currently estimated to have plus minus 17,619 people inhabiting an area of 24,879,0km2 and some of the challenges facing the inhabitants includes the visible lack of adequate infrastructure and facilities which hinders economic growth and development. This is coupled with the fact that most roads are yet to be tarred which can be problematic for transportation and accessibility,” Kasinee said. 

Also problematic, he said, are the poor communication networks due to the remoteness of some of the areas in the constituency and compounded by the low population density. 

Other issues that require attention in the constituency, according to Kasinee, include poor sanitation, inadequate health facilities, lack of markets, unserviced land in the Okandjira settlement and the issue of generational farmworkers.  
Kasinee called for the beginning of work on the Okondjatu - Okahandja road and the regular maintenance of existing gravel roads in the area. 

He said that should he ascend to the constituency office, he will embark on various projects that will improve sanitation situation more especially at the K.J. Kapeua Combined School and others. “Having been an educator for most part of my life this will be a priority. The Osire Secondary and Primary schools must be provided with teacher houses and hostels. Also, the primary part of K.J.Kapeua Combined must be delinked from the secondary by building a stand-alone secondary school,” he added.

Kasinee maintained that both the Okandjira and Otjozondu clinics should be upgraded to health centres, while tackling youth unemployment through the creation of a skills development centre in Omatako. 

He is also mentioned a ‘horse-shoe’ market for retail purposes and the overall servicing of land is of the essence to the area. 
“Okandjira was proclaimed as a settlement yet the plots are un-serviced. It is imperative to engage Cenored, Namwater and Roads Contractor Company (RCC) and town planners in order to expedite this move. Expertise can further be sought from building societies like the Shack Dwellers Federation on how the citizenry can build their houses as a collective,” Kasinee said. 

With regards to the issue of generational farm workers, Kasinee stressed that there is an urgent dialogue between the agriculture, fisheries and land reform, as well as, the labour ministries and stakeholders in order address a matter which “clearly impacts on the dignity of people who have been deprived of their historic significance on that land by all colonialist.”

WHO IS KASINEE
Currently the head of department in charge of languages at the K.J. Kapeua C.S.in Ovitoto, Kasinee describes himself as a ‘lifelong servant of the people’ with ‘over 30 years of experience in community service.’

“I believe that I have a deep understanding of local challenges in the constituency and for a long time now I have been the bridge between the marginalised and elites, acting as a voice of reason while championing the plight of the young people.” Kasinee maintained that joining politics was inevitable having grown-up around political gurus such as the late Hitjevi Veii, Uwe Siririka and Aaron Tjatindi. He launched his political career as the chairperson of the Nanso Central North region 1991. 
He later became the Nanso deputy secretary for education in 2000. 

Having a strong intrinsic youth development agenda led him to positions like secretary general of the Katutura Sport Union (KASU) between 1994 and 2000, exco member in various capacities of Kambekura Sport Association as well as founding chairperson of Omatako Youth Forum. 

He has served as a member of the Omatako Constituency Development Committee from 2016 to date, and is currently a member of the Ovitoto Settlement Development Committee from 2020. 
“Like former United States president Ronald Reagan said, ‘I am not vying for office to be big but to do big things’.”