27 Jun 2022

 Maun East constituency, which comprises Makalamabedi Phuduhudu, Chanoga, and Somelo should be split into two, residents of the villages told the Delimitation Commission during its consultative meeting in Makalamabedi on Friday.

Chanoga VDC chairperson Mr Lesole Dimbungu said the constituency’s villages were far apart.

He gave, as example the distance between Phuduhudu and Khwai, which he said was close to 400 kilometres.

“For you to travel between the two villages you first have to come to Maun, and this makes it difficult for one MP to deliver,” he said.

Makalamabedi VDC chairperson, Mr Orapeleng Monnawatsie proposed that the constituency should be divided into two to make three Maun constituencies, namely Maun East, West and North.

He suggested the new Maun East should start from Phuduhudu, pass through Chanoga en route to Maun Route 9 Ward and Shoppers traffic lights, where Maun Educational Park starts, and stretch all the way to Cresta Rileys roundabout.

From the roundabout it should go southwards towards Thito East, Riverside, Borolong up to Kgantshang bridge then turn towards Hainaveld farms  and terminate in Makalamabedi.

As for Maun North, the constituency should start on the boundaries of Maun Route 9 and Disaneng then head to Matapana, Sexaxa, Shorobe to Khwai and some safari camps in the Okavango Delta.

The remaining wards would form Maun South.

Somelo resident, Ms Osego Bikitshane argued that her village should form part of Maun East instead of Ngami constituency, because it was closer to Maun than Sehithwa.

She said that in the past Somelo fell within Maun East which made better sense as Somelo residents now had to pass through Maun to get services in Sehithwa, the current constituency headquarters.  

Makalamabedi ward councillor Moetetsi Mogalakwe said should the demarcation proposed  by Mr Monnawatsie not qualify due to shortfall in required constituency numbers, Newtown, Matapana and Disaneng should be added to increase the number.

He held the view that Maun needed to be re-aligned altogether considering the recent population census positioned the village as the second largest in Botswana.

Mr Mogalakwe said it experienced a 22 per cent population increase over the last 10 years, and the delimitation process should cater for the next 10 years, during which the village could be expected to grow exponentially.

Chanoga-Phuduhudu ward councillor, Geoffrey Sekuni said the three proposed constituencies were easy to create by reviving abandoned cutlines and roads.

He said the geography of Maun constituencies, which covered the Okavango Delta, made travel difficult, especially during the rainy season or floods as the only access to some locations was strictly by boat or air.

Kgosi Johane Ngwengare of Phuduhudu said the distance between Maun and his villages and Khwai was too big.

This, he said, hampered service delivery.  So odd was the constituency arrangement that Phuduhudu shared a councillor with Chanoga, some 80 kilometres away.

Earlier on Kgosi Keneilwe Mokgweetsi of Makalamabedi had said that often constituents complained that their MPs were not visiting, adding that was due to the fact the legislators were overwhelmed by the vastness of their constituencies.

Commission  Chairperson Justice Mokwadi Gabanagae said according to the recent population census Maun had 55 412 people compared to 43 174 in 2012.

Justice Gabanagae informed the residents that the constitution prescribed 41 000 people as the minimum for a constituency.

However, he said there were other variables that were considered. These included among others, infrastructure, services available, history and people’s lifestyle. BOPA