A large group of Botswana returnees of Namibian ancestry, currently staying in a reception area near Gam, is poised to receive their own homes. The government has announced that some will be moved into resettlement units on farms across Otjozondjupa region, while others will be relocated to Otjipaheua village in the Gam area.
Land reform minister Inge Zaamwani visited the reception site yesterday to confirm that the government has begun allocating farming units to the returnees.
So far, Namibia has invested more than N$60 million to purchase six farms totaling about 23,000 hectares for resettlement. Three farms are in Otjozondjupa, with the remaining properties located in Hardap and Omaheke.
An additional N$115 million has been spent on establishing and maintaining the Gam reception area, covering monthly food supplies, safe drinking water, general health care, and safety for the hundreds of families.
All residents at the Gam reception have received Namibian IDs and passports. The elderly have already been enrolled to receive old-age grants and other social benefits provided by the Namibian government.
In Namibia, the old-age pension grant is N$1,600 for citizens aged 60 and older, whereas in Botswana the grant is P1,400 and is available from age 65.
Zaamwani stated that eight families from the group will be moved to the farms in Otjozondjupa, where they will obtain farming units to start commercial farming and other economic activities.
The rest of the families will be relocated to Otjipaheua village near Gam, an expansive tract of virgin land where the government has drilled boreholes, established modern cattle auction facilities, and built access roads.
The government will cover transport for the relocations and all belongings, as well as post-resettlement support for farmers.
Zaamwani reassured the returnees that President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah remains firmly committed to fully integrating the returning Batswana of Namibian descent into Namibian society.
As part of ongoing resettlement efforts, integration, and economic opportunity creation, the minister said the government will continue to collaborate with relevant offices, agencies, and traditional authorities to ensure smooth incorporation.
“As we speak, some trucks are parked outside this hall ready to begin relocation. Remember, this is not a one-day operation, so teamwork and cooperation will be essential to reach our goals. The government will provide all necessary support to help families become productive citizens of this country, just like any other Namibians,” she said.
In 2023, Cabinet directed the international relations ministry, the home affairs ministry, the ministries of gender equality, and of land reform to lead the repatriation process and ensure all required documents are issued smoothly.
Cabinet also instructed the gender equality ministry to deliver social grants to the returnees within three months of their entry date, and for the health ministry to fully equip the Gam clinic to handle the growing population.
Context
The hundreds of returnees at Gam are mainly descendants of the Ovaherero and Ovambanderu who fought and died in the resistance against German colonial forces between 1904 and 1908. A few survivors ended up in Botswana, and their descendants now return in large numbers to Namibia.
Today, thousands of descendants live in Botswana, particularly in Ghanzi, Tsau, Maun, Semboyo, Komana, and Chanoga, many of whom are subsistence farmers with thousands of cattle, sheep, goats, and more.
Other communities are spread across Botswana’s Ngamiland district in places such as Charleshill, Kareng, Bothatogo, Toteng, Sehithwa, Bodibeng, and Makakung.
The first group of Batswana with Namibian ancestry began returning in April 1993, and the numbers have grown steadily ever since.
