13 Sep 2020

Driving from Gumare to Etsha 6 is totally not an amazing experience as the road is riddled with potholes.

Branching off from Gumare/Shakawe Highway at Etsha 6 turn off is even worse since the road is gravel, dusty and bumpy all the way to the village.

An interview with Kgosi Mwakaupi Seemeko of Etsha 6 revealed how worried he was about the bad state of the road together with the internal roads that connected the villages of Etsha 1-13.

Worse, he said, was that these were the roads used by public transporters and individuals daily.

Kgosi Seemeko said the communities lost hope of seeing any positive change because they were informed that there were no funds to rehabilitate the roads.

He however, made an appeal to government to re-consider mending Gumare/Etsha 6 road since it was also used by tourists.

He said the village also had a basket market centre which attracted not only locals, but international international guests on transit to the Okavango Delta.

On other issues Kgosi Seemeko stated that crime rate was very low in the village except minor incidents such as house break-ins and assaults.

He said they attended to cases of assault daily at the kgotla adding that most incidents took place at shebeens.

The incidents, he said increased following easing of liquor sale restrictions  but stated that corporal punishment on the perpetrators improved the situation.

He said there was a group of young people who caused havoc after drinking traditional brew.

Kgosi Seemeko also decried incidents of wildlife/human conflict saying traditionally, the villagers depended on farming and their efforts were frustrated by elephants that destroyed their fields.

The inhabitants dominating Etsha villages are the Hambukushu, Baxeriku and Manyambe who traditionally engaged in mixed economies of millet/sorghum agriculture; fishing, hunting, and the collection of wild fruits and pastoralism.

Many have abandoned their fields fearing elephants and buffaloes among other wild animals.

Kgosi Seemeko explained that the Hambukushu were passionate about farming adding that they could even feed the nation if given the necessary support. ENDS