18 Aug 2022

Chobe Land Board aims to allocate 5 269 residential plots as part of the 100 000 allocation target set by the Ministry of Lands and Water Affairs for the 2022/23 financial year.

Speaking during a press briefing on Wednesday, acting deputy Chobe Land Board chairperson, Ms Bwaabo Limbo said 4 520 residential plots would be allocated from the demarcated plots while the balance would be through in-fills in various villages.

About 193 plots were allocated in Mabele last month and another batch of 212 would be allocated in the same village while 266 will be allocated in Pandamatenga next month.

Furthermore, Ms Limbo said 802 plots would be allocated in Satau in September and 1236 in Kachikau in October.

She said in November 811 plots would be allocated in Kavimba and 1 193 in Kazungula in December. She said plot allocation in Lesoma was a challenge due to lack of land but the board was in negotiations for utilisation of state land.

On commercial plots, Ms Limbo said in February 126 plots were advertised and 1 247 applications were received. She said of the 1 247 applications only 72 became successful and were allocated provisionally until August 16.

She explained that 54 plots comprising 45 which were previously applied for and nine which were never applied for would be re-advertised.
Regarding land board’s revenue collection, Ms Limbo said debts stood at over P6 million hence  she encouraged debtors to make payment arrangements with the board to clear their arrears.

The acting land board secretary, Mr David Setimela reiterated that while negotiations between the land board and the ministry on the utilisation of the state land to expand Lesoma village were still at infancy stage they remained hopeful for a positive outcome.

Mr Setimela said the over P6 million debts were in respect of lease payments arrears. Earlier in his welcome remarks, Mr Setimela said the press briefing was meant to give update on what the board operations.

Principal Land Surveyor, Mr Theetso Masilomangwe said open spaces had already been identified in villages to augment the 4 520 plots.

He said in Lesoma approximately 156 plots were identified as in-fills and 142 in the layout. In Kavimba he said 121 were identified as in-fills and 43 in the layout while in Kachikau 140 and 56 plots were found as in-fills and in the layout respectively.

Additionally, he said 65 in-fill plots were identified in Satau, and 68 in Parakarungu. He said in Pandamatenga 262 were found but they were likely to decrease as the area was characterised  by cotton soils and other factors that could deter the allocation for residence.

Proposing a vote of thanks, Chobe District Council deputy secretary, Mr Oboikanngo Kuti urged Chobe residents to register their plots in order to comply with the re-enacted Tribal Land Act.
He said only 22 per cent of the plots allocated by the Chobe Land Board had been registered. The registration closing date  is with October 20. ENDS