An environmental profile and atlas of Caprivi was typed and reproduced by Studio Scan, Pretoria, South Africa, and printed by Art-2-Print, Pretoria, South Africa. Thereafter, it was published in Namibia by the directorate of Environmental Affairs, a Directorate in Namibia’s Ministry of Environment and Tourism. The project and production of this book was financed by the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Please acquaint yourselves with this book.
Naturally, politically, traditionally, academically and historically the borders of the Caprivi are known even to young stars, in the west we have Mukwe, in the north we have Katima Mulilo, in the east we have the Impalila inland and in the south we have the Mamili National Park. We are historically equipped to tell when our land is undemocratically grabbed from the rightful owners (the people of Caprivi). Whoever is advocating for the expansion of Kavango into Caprivi is either unaware of the natural borders of Caprivi or he is a thief, constitutionally thieves are kept behind bars. The concerned group in working on getting the masterminds in this endeavour and understand the motive behind.
During our meetings with tribal authorities in Caprivi last year, we received concerns from Indunas and villagers; among concerns was the land issue. We did not hope for this to be very soon, our annual strategic work plan for the year 2012/2013 will laps on 01 April 2013. Unfortunately the demarcation issue was to be tabled by the Concerned Group and strategically planned for in our next annual strategic work plan. Given the current situation we must act emergently because this is a matter we (Concerned Caprivians) regard as undermining our intelligence.
We have stated before; together we can overcome issues of this nature if we stand up as Caprivians, as one people. The re-establishment of the Mukwe constituency in the Caprivi is a must at this stage, by so doing will have a councillor representing the Khwe communities. Today as in the past, the Khwe are named Barakwena and Barakwengo by their Bantu-speaking neighbours in Namibia. These xenonymes, however, are disliked by the Khwe, mainly because they are closely associated with the former master-slave relationship which existed between Khwe and Mbukushu. Mbarakwengo was the original name for them among Mbukushu and this name was then according to K. HLER (1994:1) mistakenly used as Barakwena by the South African Army, which came to Caprivi in the late 1960s. Since independence the government has been giving its so-called special treatment to the Khwe, since previously they were disadvantaged. What will be more special than creating a Khwe political leadership led by the Mukwe constituency Councillor, saving within the Caprivi Regional Council?
From the first Lozi Empire in the 1600s and 1700s, to the Kololo Empire in the 1820s-1864, to the second Lozi Empire in 1864-1890, to 1992 when Caprivi became one of the 13 political regions of Namibia, to present day; Caprivi is divided from Kavango by the natural Okavango River not the little board the government keeps pushing into Caprivi.
Nalisa Muyahi Secretary for Information and Publicity CAPRIVI COUCERNED GROUP