25 Aug 2019

 The government is said to be working on a plan to avail electricity from Phokoje Power Station in Selebi Phikwe to Chobe district.

Addressing a kgotla meeting in Pandamatenga recently, Member of Parliament for Chobe, Mr Machana Shamukuni informed the residents that the project, which would relieve the district from depending on electricity from the neighbouring countries, would be done in two phases.

The first phase of the project, he said, would cater for the North West District, while the second phase will cater for Chobe.

Chobe currently gets electricity from Zimbabwe, Namibia and Zambia.

On other issues, the Chobe Legislator informed residents that the government had heeded their plea to increase silos in Pandamatenga, saying six more would be constructed as the current three silos were not enough for the farms’ harvest.

Mr Shamukuni said the problem of frequent power cuts at the local clinic had been addressed by availing a back-up generator, adding that now the local clinic had a doctor.

In his welcome remarks, Kgosi David Mafikizolo requested for the implementation of the cluster fencing project for Pandamatenga subsistence farmers, saying their harvest had declined due to destruction of crops by wild animals.

He decried that efforts by the government to avail free seeds and fertilisers went to waste, as in most cases, farmers were left empty-handed at the end of the harvest season.

Kgosi Mafikizolo implored the residents to utilise programmes such as the non-formal education.

He noted that failure by the residents to enroll in the programme frustrated government efforts of availing education to all.

He encouraged the residents to utilise platforms such as social media to disseminate important messages such as kgotla meetings.

Village Development Committee (VDC) chairperson, Mr Ontiretse Jeramo applauded the government for introducing constituency funding, revealing that through it, the community hall was completed and VDC houses fenced.

Mr Jeramo however, indicated that the village still needed funds for a taxi rank as the number of taxis in the village had increased.

He pleaded with the Chobe Land Board to avail plots to the VDC to build more houses which would be rented to public officers stationed in the village.

A resident, Mr Edgar Moyo commended the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP) for always attending to problem animal reports promptly, despite shortage of resources such as transport.

Mr Augustine Rodeck called for dogs to be included in the list of animals that are compensated for when killed by wild animals.

He decried that since the Agro-Zambezi project took part of the Pandamatenga, Lesoma and Kazungula (PALEKA) trust area, the trust was not going to benefit when the hunting season commences.

Mr Gofamodimo Mashambe applauded the MP for always making time to address residents on developments and changes in laws, despite his hectic schedules.

In response, the Chobe Land Board chairperson, Mr Johane Chenjekwa decried the shortage of land as the area is squeezed between a forest reserve and a national park.

 On PALEKA, the land board chairperson said the issue should be viewed as part of diversification efforts, as farming could do better in the area, hence the area’s designation as a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) with concentration of the agro-industry development.

Mr Shamukuni indicated that the issue of cluster fencing for subsistence farmers would be addressed by the Okavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA) sponsorship.

He said a plea had been made with KAZA to speed up the process and already the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) had given a waiver for the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). ENDS