23 Jul 2015

The on-going Exercise Blue Okavango for SADC air forces assumed humanitarian aid on June 20 with about 60 tonnes consignments airlifted from Gaborone with heavy military aircrafts, then medium crafts from Maun to Shakawe.

In an interview, the Shakawe airbase commander Lt Colonel Edwin Mothibedi said SADC air Forces united in joint missions in times of disasters.

He said about 4 725 consignments were for schools in the Okavango region while 4 081 food deliveries were for clinics.

Lt Col Mothibedi said Maun acted as the main airbase for the fictitious Makgobokgobo village created for the exercise Blue Okavango humanitarian aid purposes.

He said Ngamiland and Chobe formed the fictitious Makgobokgobo where a certain tribe the Hikwa caused turmoil by oppressing and forcing other people to follow their religious practices.

Medium aircrafts airlifted the consignments from Maun to Shakawe while helicopters delivered to the final destinations.

He said Shakawe airbase delivered consignments to 12 villages in the Okavango such as Kauxhwi, Gudigwa, Beetsha, Gunotsoga, Seronga, Ngarange and Xhakao.

The assistant director-food relief services from the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, Ms Vanity Mafule, said the  Exercise Blue Okavango executed the mandate of their ministry.

Ms Mafule said at times the ministry of local government experienced challenges of lack of transport noting that with the SADC air force assistance, the consignments were transported and delivered at once.

Meanwhile, Ms Mafule said schools and clinics in the Okavango region faced shortage of some food stuff in the government feeding program for a period of about three months due to supply challenges especially cooking oil

The Exercise Blue Okavango, which started on July 13, will end on July 25. Ends