Furore over Bwabwata ‘proclamation’

The Hambukushu Traditional Authority has intensified its fight against the status of the Bwabwata National Park, especially that relating to the prohibition of allowing cattle in the park.The thorny matter is currently before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Constitutional and Legal Affairs.This followed a petition titled ‘Petition on the Management of Bwabwata Communal Land by the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism’ which seeks to force government to revisit the cabinet decision of 1999; that no cattle be allowed in Bwabwata National Park or any other game park in the north-east.According to the urban and rural development ministry, the technical report in its possession makes no mention of pans to change the status of the national park or any legislation related to that."In the report, they only talk about the overview of the national park and its history of it. Cabinet approved that vision in 1999," said a ministerial official during one of the committee meetings."I do not agree with the statement, that since 2013, nothing has been done. Something has been done because there is proof from the committee that was formulated between three ministries. Thereafter, this committee made recommendations to the environment ministry so that the report can be considered and discussed," the official further said.Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) parliamentarian Vipuakuje Muharukua indicated that before the final draft of the report was submitted, the team assigned to the task had to make sure that the thoughts and views of the group were captured."The views of the traditional authority was expressed but is not contained in the report that your ministry presented," Muharukua said.In light of this, members of the committee visited the Mukwe constituency specifically for that purpose, to undertake a fact-finding mission.Among the recommendations, was that the promised tourism development in the Mahango Core Area that will benefit the Hambukushu community must be implemented.Furthermore, the Hambukushu Traditional Authority should be allocated a farming unit within the Bwabwata area and the proclamation of Bwabwata National Park of 2007 is illegal and must be revisited.The petition also alluded to the consulting of the ministry with the traditional Authority on the management of Bwabwata area.

Furore over Bwabwata ‘proclamation’

Comments

Namibian Sun 2025-04-04

Please login to leave a comment

Furore over Bwabwata ‘proclamation’

Comments

Namibian Sun 2025-04-04

Please login to leave a comment

Login