09 Apr 2020

Residents of Boro and other settlements in the Okavango Delta are optimistic that their livelihoods will improve once Thamalakane River start receiving water.

Residents are anticipating the highest water levels this year after reports indicated that the Okavango River in  Mohembo had started flooding and the water was spotted at Xaxaba settlement at the heart of the delta.

They stated that the river was the main source of income and its drying up adversely affected their lives.

Most of the residents make a living through transporting tourists while others ventured into fishing.

One of the residents from Boro, Mr Ketiho Wozime revealed in an interview that the drying of the river had negatively affected the mokoro business since most of the mekoro polers stopped since last year.

This year, he said, they were anticipating increased flow caused by the flooding from Okavango River and rain in the catchment of the delta.

He said water from Mohembo had started flowing towards Thamalakane River and that it had already arrived at Xaxaba, which was less than 60 km from Boro.

Meanwhile,  Mr Monaga Molefi from Maun recently noted that the peak of the flood at Mohembo usually occurred between mid-March and mid- May.

He concurred that they were anticipating the highest water levels this year resulting from the floods in Thamalakane River.

The river depended on water from Angola flowing past Mohembo, a point in the Panhandle, over the first six months of the year, from January and July. BOPA