News from council chambers
The following items are highlights from Thursday’s ordinary council meeting.• Water pump, solar panels donated
The Windhoek municipal council received a donation from HanseWasser Bremen GmbH, a municipal entity owned by the City of Bremen in Germany, which includes a solar-powered water pump and accompanying panels valued at just shy of N$200 000, designated for Farm Okukuna, the City’s urban agriculture project.
This donation follows the visit of the Mayor of Bremen, Dr Andreas Bovenschulte to Windhoek, in September 2024, during which Farm Okukuna was identified as a key site needing water infrastructure support. The solar water pump will enhance water access for the 13 active community greenhouse plots at the farm, thereby increasing food production and reducing the impact of drought.
• CBD lights up
Council approved a transformative project to upgrade streetlights in the Central Business District (CBD), marking the first phase of a broader initiative aimed at revitalising the Windhoek's urban centre.
The CBD’s existing streetlights are outdated and no longer meet the functional or aesthetic standards expected of a modern capital city.
The approved upgrade will replace them with modern, energy-efficient lighting technologies, such as LEDs. These lights will not only provide better illumination but also consume less energy and have a lower environmental impact, an important step toward reducing the carbon footprint and promoting sustainability.
The upgrade will begin with key routes including Independence Avenue, Sam Nujoma Drive, Post Street Mall, and several surrounding streets. The project will be funded through the City’s Capital Expenditure (CAPEX) budget to the tune of N$17 million spread over two to three financial years. Additionally, the project will incorporate insights gained from benchmarking visits to Sister Cities to ensure best practices are applied.
• Hamburg collab approved
The City approved a collaboration with the United Nations Innovation Technology Accelerator for Cities (UNITAC) Hamburg as part of its ongoing efforts to transform Windhoek into a people-centred smart city. UNITAC offers strategic and technical support to governments to advance sustainable urban development.
The collaboration will support Windhoek in areas such as data and digital transformation strategy, citizen engagement, smart infrastructure planning, and leadership training. It also includes Windhoek’s participation in the Reimagine Windhoek Festival, planned for May/June 2025, which will engage residents and stakeholders in envisioning the city’s future.
The above are only highlights of the council meeting. More details about all the items discussed are available via https://www.windhoekcc.org.na/council-agenda/