04 Sep 2022

The relocation of Kgaphamadi households to pave way for the Kasane/Kazungula Re-development Project will no longer be implemented.

This was said by the coordinator of Kasane/Kazungula Tourism Diversification Project commonly known as Kasane/Kazungula Re-development Project, Mr Jobe Ofetotse at the Chobe leadership consultative meeting organized by the area MP, Mr Machana Shamukuni.

Mr Ofetotse said the relocation was stopped due to shortage of funds and lack of land in Kasane. He however said the 24 government offices and 150 government houses would be relocated as planned.

He said some of the relocated government offices would temporarily be accommodated in porta cabins in the Rural Administration Centre (RAC) premises while the construction of integrated offices in a plot behind RAC was on-going.

The construction process of the integrated offices, he said was at tender stage and further explained that other relocated offices would be accommodated permanently at the integrated offices while the Kasane Prison and CTO would be in Pandamatenga and Nnyungwe Industrial respectively.

Mr Ofetotse said the relocation of properties was aimed at releasing prime land for investment in new tourism products, since the Kasane/Kazungula Tourism Diversification Project aimed at transforming the area into a sustainable tourism destination offering a high quality range of attractions and activities not entirely dependent on wildlife.

He said the diversification of products would help increase the average length of stay for tourists and attract new markets in Chobe.

Still at the same forum, deputy director in the Ministry of Lands and Water Affairs, Mr Gabalemogwe Moanakwena said his ministry has four land servicing projects namely, Nnyungwe land servicing, Kasane- Plateau, Lesoma-Kazungula minimal servicing and Kachikau minimal servicing which were at different implementation stages.

He said the Nnyungwe land servicing was terminated in 2018 at 18 per cent for arbitration and the process was completed in December 2020.

Mr Moanakwena said the project underwent a re-scoping exercise in consultation with Water Utilities Corporation (WUC), Botswana Unified Revenue Service (BURS) and the Kasane /Kazungula Tourism Diversification Project and consultations were finalised.

He said following the re-scoping, the number of plots increased to 874 with 556 for residential, 220 for industrial, 61 multi-residential, nine commercial, 24 civic and community and four open spaces.

As for the Kasane-Plateau land servicing, Mr Moanakwena said the design commenced in September 2018, but was halted at 10 per cent for update because what was on the layout did not represent what was on the ground.

He said the design was completed and consultant submitted final bidding documents in April this year and construction supervision and post contract services for both engineering and environmental consultants’ were at final vetting stage. Earlier the MP, Mr Shamukuni said he found it necessary to invite coordinators for different projects in the constituency to give district leadership update, as during his May Kgotla meetings a lot of questions regarding projects were raised by the residents. Ends