No to promises we can’t achieve – Mubita on Impalila using Botswana pulas after 36 years

Deputy minister of defence Charles Mubita is vowing against empty promises, saying that an island in Namibia in the far eastern Zambezi reguin still relies on Botswana’s currency, 36 years after Namibia’s independence

He said this while addressing Zambezi residents at the 36th Independence Day celebration at Bukalo on Saturday.

“I cannot make promises that we cannot achieve, but it is totally unacceptable that 36 years after independence, our people at Impalila still have to use pulas if they want to buy anything,” he said.

He said the residents need foreign currency and have their passports stamped if they enter Namibia.

“That situation is unacceptable,” Mubita said.

The deputy minister emphasised that the solution lies in constructing a bridge from Kasika to Impalila, a project long delayed due to corruption and poor planning.

“Some of the billions we spent on this have gone into people’s pockets,” Mubita said.

He said that money should be recovered so the bridge can be built.

“It can be done. It was done before,” he said.

Mubita said the failed bridge project from independence, which was meant to link Namibia to Zambia, instead ended up connecting Zambia to Zambia, due to poor soil conditions and limited technical advice at the time.

“We were cheated once, and we cannot be cheated a second time,” he said.

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