14 Aug 2020

Some Baherero and Ovabanderu, who have expressed intention to relocate from Botswana to Namibia, have decided to continue with the repatriation exercise though their cattle from a Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) zone will not be allowed in Namibia.

The group is currently filling citizenship application forms from the Namibian government and taking oaths at the district commissioner’s offices to verify that the information on the application forms was correct.

Those relocating were largely based in the Ngamiland region, with a few in the Ghanzi District.

Chairperson of the repatriation committee in Ngamiland, Mr Justice Muinjo, confirmed in an interview that despite the announcement by Namibia that cattle from the red zone would not be allowed, those who had indicated intention to go back had decided to leave their cattle behind, while some had started selling them.

He said over 1 000 people had expressed interest to relocate, but some dropped out along the way due to delays in the exercise.  

Over 100 people, he said, had already filled application forms, while some had already relocated.

Mr Muinjo said the repatriation exercise had dragged on for long, with delays by both countries.

The issue, he said, dated back to 2013, but appreciated efforts made by both governments in facilitating the exercise, noting that there was hope that their desire would finally be realised.

“All we want is to go back to our country of origin and I request both governments to fast track the process as we have been patient,” Mr Muinjo added. 

Ngamiland District commissioner, Mr Keolopile Leipego, confirmed that they received some citizenship application forms from the Namibian embassy last month, which were passed on to chairperson of the local repatriation committee to distribute. 

He said some had already filled the forms and taken an oath, explaining that once a citizenship application had been approved by the Namibian government, one would now be required to renounce Botswana citizenship prior to departure.

After that, Mr Leipego said they would be issued with renunciation certificates and would be required to surrender Botswana passports.

He appreciated that the repatriation exercise had delayed, but acknowledged that since the meeting with the delegation from Namibia, where it was announced that cattle from red zone would not be allowed, some individuals followed the right procedure and relocated on their own.

Meanwhile, in the last meeting addressed by the Namibian delegation in Tsa, the concerned group learnt that the Namibian government had already secured a piece of land to accommodate the returnees.

They were also informed that Namibia had no objection to their request to trace back their roots, but cattle from red zones would not be allowed into that country.

However, the announcement did not go down well with the group because it believed Namibia was not ready to welcome those from Ngamiland because they came from a Foot and Mouth Disease area. 

They argued that there was no how they could leave their cattle behind because traditionally, Baherero and Ovabanderu were predominantly pastoral farmers, an economic activity they had practiced successfully while in Botswana. Ends