Caprivi boundaries under scrutiny

By Staff Reporter

THE once troubled Caprivi region has recently submitted proposals on the new boundaries and its new name to the Delimitation Commission appointed by the Namibian Head Of State Hifikepunye Pohamba last month.

Among other things on the top of the proposal was the land boundary between Caprivi and Kavango regions which was moved to Bwabwata .
Chairperson of the Delimitation Commission, High Court Judge Alfred Siboleka received submissions from different individuals, traditional authorities and pressure groups.

Since Namibia’s independence the commission held its fourth consultative meeting as priscribed by Article 104 (1) “The Delimitation Commission shall consist of a Chairperson who shall be a Judge of the Supreme Court or the High Court, and two other persons to be appointed by the President with the approval of Parliament, (2) The Delimitation Commission shall discharge it`s duties in accordance with the provisions of an Act of Parliament and this Constitution and shall report theron to the President.”

The commission was in Caprivi from February 26-28 , Submissions were read and handed over to the commission, among the submissions that were heard were that of Mr. Siluzungila an Induna of Masokotwani Khuta who proposed that Masokotwani should be removed from Sibbinda Constituency due to long distances and be under Katima Rural Constituency where it was before.

He further stressed that the current headquater offices of Katima Rural should be re –located to Mubiza Area which he said is the centre of the constituency for all electorates when they walk from their villages unlike Bukalo where it is currently located.

Mr.Maloboka stood up and proposed for the re-demarcation of the Linyanti Constituency, to be split into two constituencies as poor people have to travel long distances to Sangwali as the current headquarter to get their basic services.
“Distance is too long for people to reach the constituency office to help people gain access to government services and to ensure the implementation of Vision 2030 and to make sure that the SWAPO party provision benefit the region as a whole”, he said.

San community representatives who reside at Bwabwata the current boundary of Caprivi and Kavango were also in attendace whose ideas and voices were spoken on their behalf by Mr. David Mushebanga, an activist of the san community stressed the need for their community to have self recognition and governance and for their voices to be heard and they felt that the only way this would be attainable was for them to have their own constituency which should be Bwabwata.

Mr Mushebanga further stressed that his community have demostrated their choice to be under the jurisdiction of the Caprivi region instead of that of Kavango.
Caprivi Vision established that, it has been proposed by the Kavango Regional Council that Eastern Kavango shifted 100km further as to have equal distribution of resources, this move will result in encroachment of the Caprivi region leading up to the Kwando river, this has however stimulated a backlash from people of the Caprivi region who feel that their land is being unfairly deprived away from them.

However, Mr Benjamin Chika-Matondo Mabuku and Dr. John Lilemba representing all Caprivians who are residing in Namibia’s Capital Windhoek motivated that historical references show and prove that Kavango cannot end at Kwando river as part of the Caprivi region and that Caprivi historically starts at Impalila and ends at Andara which means that western Caprivi all along has been part of the Caprivi region and not as otherwise claimed by Kavango region.
Other submissions cautioned that the actions by the Regional Council of Kavango had the potential of bringing about instability and unrest between the inhabitants of Caprivi and Kavango.

The Caprivi Regional council also made a submission in which they proposed changes in Constituency boundaries and the creation of two more constituencies which should be Kasikili in the east and Bwabwata in the west.

The Caprivi Governor Hon Alfea Sampofu explained that this would help in facilitating service delivery to the people.
The Chairperson Mr. Siboleka advised that the commission could not be influenced in any way by anyone or anybody, their responsibility was to hear the concerns of the people and to take them to the relevant authority were action would be taken in accordance with the Namibian law.

On the final day of the commission, more submission were heard among them were calls to have constituencies such as Kabbe and Linyanti split in two as to ease lives of the people inhabiting the area, people of Kabbe complained that there is a serious challenge in reaching other areas from Kabbe especially during flood seasons especially thus the need to have Kabbe divided into two constituencies.

During the commission, a Deputy Secretary of ALL PEOPLE`S PARTY Mr. Mwilima Ntonda criticised Local Authority Councillors of Katima Mulilo for not paying attention to people`s needs and not listening to their problems as they were never even attended the proceeding of the commission.
Meanwhile , An out-spoken political leader of the once troubled political party that was not allowed to register in the name of Caprivi by the Electoral Commission of Namibia over the years has urged the Namibia’s delimitation Commission to re-demarcate Caprivi region into two equal parts.

Mr. Martin Lukato, former police warrant officer who is the president of National Democratic Party ( NDP) which was first named as Caprivi National Democratic Party (CNDP) proposed in his submission that Caprivi Region should be re-demarketed according to the first Delimitation Commission which was appointed by the former Namibian president, Dr. Sam Nujoma, where all Hamambukushu areas and Mukwe Constituency were part of Caprivi Region as per the historical background of Caprivi strip.
“After this region is de-marketed it should be divided into two (2) regions.The Eastern Caprivi Region which will cover Kongola Checkpoint up to Impalila Island. (Region 1)The Western Caprivi Region which will cover from Kangola downwards to Ndiyona; the entire Hambukushu areas will make part of this region. (Region 2)” stressed Mr. Lukato.

Acccording to him the proposed Constituencies in the Eastern Caprivi (Region 1) are Kongola Constituency. Linyanti Constituency to be divided into two (2) Constituencies. The Linyanti North Constituency which will cover from Makanga up to Lizauli and Linyanti South Constituency which will cover from Lizauli up to Kikiya (Kandiyana Village).

Sibbinda Constituency, to cover from Sibbinda up to Liselo. Katima Mulilo Rural to be divided into two (2) Constituencies, from Muzuma Village up to Kalumba in Linyanti Road it should be called Katima Rural North Constituency. While Machita Village to cover Kwena, Ikoma up to Muyako and villages surrounding up to Sikanjabuka and Silumbi to be called Katima Mulilo Rural South Constituency. Kabe Constituency to be divided into two (2) constituencies which are Kabbe North Constituency and the Kabbe South Constituency. Mr. Lukato added that Katima Urban Constituency should be divided into two Constituencies, Katima Urban Central Constituency which will cover the towns in the urban areas as well as the entire settlements of the Town. Katima South Constituency will cover from Mubiza, Lisikili, Musanga, Chefuzwe, Namalubi and other areas in the neighbourhood.

He proposed that The Western Caprivi Region should include new Constituencies like Bwabwata Constituency, Omega Constituency ,Divundu Constituency ,Mukwe Constituency , Kapako Constituency and other Constituencies in Hambuku areas. He also went on adding that Kavango Region to be divided into three 3 Regions, Kavango East Region,Kavango Central Region and Kavango West Region.Otjozondjupa Region to be divided into two (2) or three (3) Regions and Kunene to be divided into two (2) Regions.While Kunene, Erongo ,Khomas , Hardap , Omaheke and Karas Regions to be divided into two respectively. The Four (4) Northern Regions should be re-demarketed in order for all areas to be part and parcel of other new created Regions and Constituencies, but remains as the Four (4) Northern Regions.
Captions: From left is Kabbe Costituency Councillor Hon. Raphael Mbala, Delimitation Commission Chairperson High Court Judge Mr. Alfred Siboleka, Caprivi region Governor Hon. Lawrence Sampofu during the delimitation commission process, Members of the public during the delimitation commission witness the submission of proposals on the boundaries of the Caprivi region.