Namibia is a country characterised by a diverse population and most beautiful landscapes in Africa. One of such landscapes is the panhandle region called Zambezi.
On the contrary, fellow citizens residing in the interior of the country view Zambezi as a remote region to travel to or reside in. This narrative has been lingering in the public discourse for some time, thereby being prejudicial to the region’s development and growth.
Unfortunately, there were similar sentiments lamented by colonial masters about the location and accessibility of the region before. In the end, the region was isolated, until Namibia gained independence in 1990.
The Zambezi region is Namibia’s 14th region, situated in the north-eastern part of the country. The region is curved in the form of a panhandle, covering about 450 km. However, its geographical size has been reduced in several of the Delimitation Commission recommendations.
Lilemba’s (2009) PhD thesis illustrates that Germany negotiated the land from Britain’s Barotseland Protectorate in 1890, following the Anglo-German Treaty. The purpose was to give the country access to the Zambezi River, and a route to East Africa. The distance from the capital city Windhoek to Katima Mulilo town (an administrative headquarters of Zambezi) is 1 226 kilometres, making it a remotely administrative town in Namibia.
Demystifying the distance
Travelling to the Zambezi region should be a fascinating experience for every Namibian, as it is for the inhabitants throughout the country. During apartheid, it was difficult for Namibians to travel throughout the country freely due to segregation and pass-law restrictions. These laws contained the indigenous people, especially the inhabitants of Zambezi, who were strictly isolated from the rest of Namibia. Despite the segregation, Namibians resisted apartheid. It should be remembered that during Namibia’s liberation struggle, liberation fighters launched several guerrilla war campaigns against apartheid in the Zambezi region, overcoming the distance.
Now that Namibia is independent, freedom of movement and association are constitutionally guaranteed. Additionally, Namibia has good road infrastructure networks in Africa, making it easier for citizens to crisscross to any corner of the country.
Furthermore, the Zambezi region has been an anchor that stabilises and completes Namibia as a sovereign country. The region is Namibia’s gateway to southern Africa. Therefore, its geographical location should be considered significant and advantageous for the country, rather than an anomaly.
In summary, the geographical location and/or remoteness of the Zambezi region should not be taken as an anomaly but as important Namibian land, as exemplified by Kangumu (2000) in his master’s thesis on the region as a forgotten corner of Namibia. Therefore, we should fully embrace our country’s contrasted, beautiful landscapes and culture.
*Collen Kurana is a DPhil student at the Durban University of Technology.