Zambezi residents want Zambezi, Kavango East border shifted to Mukuvi

Zambezi residents say for peace and unity to prevail, the boundary between the Zambezi and Kavango East regions should be moved back to the Mukuvi area.

This was expressed by some residents at the commencement of the two-day regional public consultations by the fifth Boundaries Delimitation and Demarcation Commission on Monday.

The commission is chaired by acting judge Petrus Unengu, alongside law and traditional affairs expert Prisca Anyolo, historian and curator Gerhardt Gurirab and pastor Penias Topnaar.

Residents said traditionally the boundary between the two regions was at Mukuvi village, however, it was moved to Divundu and in 2013, moved to Cheto by the previous Delimitation and Demarcation Commission.

Regional youth representative Simasiku Sikwibele questioned why the colonial boundaries between the then Ovamboland and Kavango, and then Ovamboland and Kaokoland, were respected by all delimitation commissions, but the one for Caprivi and Kavango was not.

He demand that the historical boundary that placed the Mukwe constituency as part of the then Zambezi region, be adopted.

“There are mineral deposits, tourism attraction facilities and potential within the Bwabwata National Park from which we, the people of the Zambezi region, are to be denied. We are continually tagged with the secession of the Caprivi/Zambezi political necklace, which we condemn and reject. We are aware of this fact that makes us political victims. No matter how we supported the liberation struggle and still voted for Swapo, we remain tagged with this necklace, but we demand that such blatant discrimination be done away with and we be treated as equal citizens of Namibia. We believe that these are the reasons being advanced by certain quarters of the country to deny the people of the Zambezi region their rightful occupancy and usage of the region,” he said.

Kongola resident Glen Mutemwa said if the boundary is moved back to Mukuvi, the region would require the addition of a constituency.

He said that this new constituency, which they would name Bwabwata, will start from the Mashi River to the Mukuvi area, while the suggested new Kongola constituency will end at the Mpacha area.

“The name Zambezi region should be changed back to Caprivi region, and then the region itself should be divided into two regions, namely Caprivi West and Caprivi East. We lost our dignity when our region was renamed from Caprivi to Zambezi,” he said.

Resident Jimmy Lilungwe said the boundary issue has caused threats and the killing of residents since independence.

“I have been driving in the western Zambezi for so long, and I have noticed that every 10 years the boundary between the two regions moves. It started at Mukwe, and before we know it, it will move into the Mpacha area. What do you really take us for? Are we not African or Namibian enough? You must treat us the way you treat others,” he said.

A submission by Dobson Kwala suggested that a new constituency be created from Kabbe North, Katima Rural, Sibbinda and Kongola to bring services closer to residents who are forced to travel long distances.