17 May 2022

Residents of Kavimba have learnt that water shortage in the village plateau will be addressed soon.

Responding to complaints during a Kgotla meeting addressed by Chobe MP, Mr Machana Shamukuni recently, Water Utilites Corporation maintenance engineer, Mr Kanwi Kalundu said funds for purchasing water pumps for the high land were approved in the current financial year.

He explained that a water tank valued at P1.5 million was constructed about three years ago but challenge remained with procuring pumps to transfer water from the lower end of the village to the plateau, due to financial constraints. He said installation of the pumps would solve the shortage.

Mr Kalundu said water levels released on daily basis indicated that the old tank located at the lower end of the village was always at 100 per cent and the one at plateau at 1.4 per cent.

Chobe Enclave Community Trust (CECT) chairperson, Mr Poniso Shamukuni informed residents that the matter between the trust’s concerned group and the board members was dismissed with costs by the Maun High Court.

He further said the board’s term of office was coming to an end in July though there might be a delay in convening an elective Annual General Meeting (AGM) as an audit of the trust’s accounts was not done. He attributed the delay in auditing to the issues that led to legal proceedings.

On March 12, the concerned group had appointed an interim board of trustees after passing a motion of no confidence on the board. Following the appointment the concerned group approached the court to intervene on why the ‘dissolved board’ could not hand over the CECT activities and office to the interim board.

Earlier in his address, Mr Shamukuni informed the residents about the laws that were passed by Parliament such as the Public Procurement Act and the Economic Inclusion Act.

He said the purpose of the act was to promote competition and increase transparency and accountability in procurement procedures

Mr Shamukuni explained that the Public Procurement Act empowered accounting officers to finalise the procurement of goods and services in the entities. He said with the new act the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Board (PPADB) would remain a regulatory body.

Regarding the Economic Inclusion Act, Mr Shamukuni said citizens would be empowered to participate in the economy as certain percentages of work would be reserved for them in various projects.

The Chobe legislator noted that with the act, foreign companies were obliged to engage Batswana in carrying out projects.

He further said through the act, an economic empowerment office would be set up, to ensure implementation of the policy, and the law would apply in all sectors of the economy.

Still on issues of Parliament, the MP said a standardised electricity connection fee of P5 000 was reduced to P2 500 for people who earned below P2 400. ends