By Obrein Simasiku
KATIMA MULILO – The Katima Mulilo chief executive officer Charles Nawa has disputed allegations that the town council intends to demolish approximately 20 houses that are adjacent to the Zambezi shopping complex in Hage Geingob Road in the town.
There has been speculation that the town council will demolish houses to make way for road expansion and a new shopping complex. However Nawa said the town council just rezoned the particular area to allow residents to use their plots to start businesses or sell to businesspeople, noting that the owner can decide to sell or not to sell and is in no way being forced.
“We are not forcefully evicting residents in the area, rather we rezoned that particular area to be part of the central business district (CBD) and gave an opportunity to the able ones to transform their homes into business empires since the houses are adjacent to the shopping complex as the town is expanding” said Nawa.
He added that with the business expansion and being next to a shopping complex, the houses could be used for business purposes.
If the owners choose to sell the town council is not liable for paying compensation as the residents would be acting on their own free will, he added.
Nawa said the town is undergoing major growth with new shops being built around the clock. “We are aiming to remove all the bushy areas around town and are currently in the final stages of relocating the Katima sports complex as the area is intended to accommodate new business.”
He said none of the people in the rezoned area has approached him to apply for a plot to where they can be relocated should they decide to sell.
He added that “the people are welcome if they are willing to sell their houses to come and apply for plots. Let it not be an issue that they want to capitalize on and receive money but it should be something from their hearts as we are not at liberty to make sure they have plots after they have sold their houses unless they have applied for one.”