Looting of food aid investigated

The Namibian government is investigating incidents of looting of relief food in recent weeks. Gabriel Kangowa, the deputy director of the Emergency Management Unit, told IRIN he was attempting to get details of the incidents from local authorities. The Namibian newspaper reported that large quantities of maize meal, cooking oil and other commodities meant for drought relief had been looted in the Kavango and Ohangwena Regions, in the north and north-western parts of the country. Officials responsible for the distribution of the food yesterday confirmed looting at Onamunkulo, Ondeihaluka and Oshitambi in the Ohangwena Region since December, the paper reported. While in the Kavango, drought relief was looted at Cuma, some 60 km outside Rundu where dozens of people stole bags of maize meal, tins of fish and cooking oil - some of which was returned by the looters, The Namibian said. However, Kangowa, who told IRIN he was only aware of the incidents from newspaper reports, was still trying to establish details with governors and local authorities. "I'm trying to ascertain what happened, how it happened and what steps are now being taken," Kangowa said. Some 350,000 people are in need of food aid in all 13 regions of the country. The government aimed to distribute some 39,000 mt of food aid to the vulnerable through local authorities, such as councillors and headmen, Kangowa said. "This is purely a government [emergency relief] programme. We did not appeal to any international organisations, we are funding the purchase of the food, the transportation, everything. The distribution we are doing ourselves, we did not invite any NGOs to participate," he added. Geniene Veii, deputy secretary-general of the Namibian Red Cross, told IRIN the agency was willing to assist with food relief efforts. "If government wants us, we are here and willing to assist. If they want us to be involved, we can be. If we [in turn] need assistance we can always ask our international federation for help," she said.