08 Oct 2026

The Office of the North West District Commissioner has engaged business operators in the Okavango Delta and those plying the Shorobe-Mababe-Kwai corridor to explore practical ways of restoring the deteriorating road while improving access to healthcare for communities in the area.

The engagement seeks to mobilise support from the private sector, to complement government efforts in addressing development challenges affecting the remote communities and tourism operators who depend on the road.

North West District commissioner, Mr Thabang Waloka, said the Shorobe-Mababe-Kwai road had deteriorated significantly over the past year due to rains and other environmental factors, making it increasingly difficult for both residents and tourists to travel along the route.

He said the road was particularly important as it provided access to Shorobe, Mababe and Khwai, while also serving as one of the routes used by tourists travelling into the Okavango Delta.

“The road is in a bad state and its condition is affecting communities as well as tourism operations in the area such that last rainy season people could not use the road to access these villages,” he said.

Mr Waloka said assessments conducted through the roads department had placed the estimated cost of restoring the road at approximately P19 million, an amount beyond what the business community could raise at once hence stakeholders were exploring phased interventions that could enable work to commence while additional resources were mobilised.

He also said some operators had expressed willingness to assist with the restoration of road machinery, to ensure that available resources could be put to use.

The engagement has also opened discussions on addressing the longstanding shortage of basic services in Khwai, particularly healthcare.

Despite being a gazetted village in the North West District, Khwai has for a long period not benefited from some basic government developments, including the provision of a clinic and electricity, Mr Waloka said.

The absence of a clinic means that patients from the village have to be transported more than 100km to Maun, to access medical attention.

In an effort to address the challenge, the Office of the District Commissioner is engaging Okavango Delta operators to explore a partnership to establish a clinic in Khwai. The Khwai Development Trust has offered its offices to be refurbished and converted into a clinic, providing the foundation for the proposed health project.

“We are currently working on estimates to determine the cost of refurbishing and equipping the facility, after which discussions with the business community would determine the extent and manner of their contribution,” said Mr Waloka.

He noted that government resources were currently constrained, making it important for communities to explore alternative ways of mobilising resources without abandoning their development aspirations.

Mr Waloka encouraged individuals and businesses to approach the Office of the District Commissioner with ideas, manpower, equipment and other resources that could contribute towards addressing challenges in their communities.

He said a simple initiative could stimulate other ideas and partnerships capable of bringing meaningful change and therefore, encouraged community members to view development initiatives as a collective responsibility, particularly in communities where resources and infrastructure remained limited. ENDS