Nujoma and Pohamba Visits Caprivi Region

By Risco Lumamezi

The founding President, Dr Sam Nuyoma and His Excellency Hifikepunye Pohamba were in the Caprivi region last month to celebrate the annual Masubia Cultural Festival which took place on the 31st July 2010 at Bukalo some 38 km east of Katima Mulilo.

Apart from other events, founding President Dr. Sam Nuyoma was in the region to raise funds for the Katima Mulilo Agricultural Fair. The fundraising dinner which was held at the University of Namibia, Katima Mulilo Campus was attended by various dignitaries such as members of the Diplomatic corps, government officials including the Caprivi Traditional Authorities.

So far The government through the Ministry of Trade and Industry has injected an amount of N$8 million towards the construction of the Katima Mulilo Agricultural and Trade Fair complex. The annual trade fair which proudly sponsored by Standard Bank of Namibia has inspired farmers and the business community of Caprivi Region to show case their products and services.

The Founding President explained that the purpose of the Trade fair was to market goods and services produced in the region so as to expose these goods and services outside the region since Caprivi region is at the hub of the SADC region in terms of trade.
The Katima Mulilo town is the gateway to many SADC countries such as Botswana, Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

“This should create opportunities for networking among business people and raise awareness and present product information to potential customers thereby enhancing quality public service delivery. Over the years, we have witnessed the increase of trade fairs which are held annually in most of our towns but in 2009 Caprivi Show Society was transformed into Katima Mulilo Trade and Agricultural Fair. This change comes after a wide consultation with various leading stakeholders,” said the Founding President.

The rationale behind the Katima Mulilo Trade Fair is to increase the level of participation in some local businesses so as to promote trade and turn the region as the bread basket of the country.

“As we all know, Katima Mulilo is the heart of the region.Therefore, strengthening the economic growth of the town will have desirable results to enhance the growth of the local and regional economy. The region is endowed with valuable natural resources that are available for exploitation. Using these resources effectively will unlock the economic potential of the region and improve the livelihood of residents of this region,” he further explained.

The fundraising dinner raised an amount of N$42, 900 for the construction of the new Trade and Agricultural Fair complex.The founding President donated N$5, 000 towards the construction of this new complex.
At Bukalo some 38 km from the main town of Katima Mulilo , both the founding President and His Excellency President Pohamba attended the Masubia Annual Cultural Festival. The festival is an annual celebration of the Masubia traditional authority. The Founding President paid homage to the late former Chief of the Masubia, Munitenge Joshua Mutwa Moraliswani whom they had closer contacts with during the war of the liberation struggle.
“I first met him in Harare and we agreed that the Masubia Traditional Authority should quit from the South African arrangement of the Bantustans and the Boers cut all the support, financially and materially from the Masubia Traditional Authority”.

SWAPO party’s military wing PLAN supported the Masubia Traditional Authority through leaders and Comrades such as Richard Kamwi and Ambassador Leonard Ipumbu who were also present at the festival.
President Hifikepunye Pohamba thanked the Masubia Traditional Authority for mobilizing its community for rendering support in the last year’s Presidential and Parliamentary elections which saw SWAPO party winning a two third majority.
The two leaders urged all Namibian youths to shun from alcohol, drug abuse, and dangerous substances that destroy their lives and instead concentrate on their studies.
“First and foremost, I would like to encourage the youths to take their education seriously. This is the only way we can produce our own medical practitioners, engineers, marine biologists, agriculturalist and other qualified personnel who can accelerate the implementation of the Vision 2030,” said President Pohamba

The Masubia Chief, His Royal Highness Kisco Maiba Liswani III dismissed allegations that there was a conflict within the Masubia chieftainship as reported by the New Era on the 23rd July. He dismissed that the advert in the government owned publication was placed by some unscrupulous individuals who are meant to divide and cause conflict within the chieftainship.

“I would like to thank SWAPO party for rendering their support during the bitter liberation struggle and on behalf of the Masubia community, I want to assure you that my people will stand for you in the next Regional and Local Government Elections,” said Chief Liswani III in his speech read by Dr. Bennet Kangumu on his behalf.
Regional and Local Authority elections will be held on 24 and 25 November this year.

The Masubia Traditional Authority festival  was also attended by ministers, members of the Diplomatic community and Traditional chiefs from various chieftainships in Namibia and Botswana.