The diplomatic tensions between Botswana and Namibia took a new twist last week with the latter deploying navy patrolling boats in what is seen as a significant defensive development by Namibia against the Botswana Defence Force (BDF).
The move is also seen as Namibia’s efforts aimed at protecting its citizens.
There are even fears that the latest development is a sign that efforts aimed at finding an amicable solution to the diplomatic tensions between the two neighbours is falling apart.
In 2020, the Botswana Defence (BDF) shot and killed four Namibians suspected to be poachers along the Chobe River and since then a frosty stand-off between the neighbouring countries, which had been boiling over behind the scenes, broke into the open.
It is understood though the suspect was believed to be a Zambian national, this was the incident that broke the camel’s back and prompted the Namibian Government, which was already under pressure from its citizens, to spring into action.
The Telegraph can reveal that the Namibian citizens took advantage of the incident to demonstrate to their government that despite promises by President Mokgweetsi Masisi to their President Hage Geingob that Botswana was abolishing the ‘shoot to kill’ approach, that was not the case.
While both the two countries had committed to deploy troops to patrol along the ‘disputed’ border for anti-poaching operations, it is understood that they had to agree on the ‘order of opening fire’ and ‘rules of engagement to avoid a situation whereby military personnel from the neighbouring countries exchanging fire.’
Diplomatic sources have told The Telegraph that the decision by Namibian to deploy its troops along what has been termed ‘troubled borders’ was prompted by a recent incident in which the BDF shot and killed a suspected poacher in Ditshiping village in the Okavango Delta.
While he did not disclose the nationality of the suspected poacher, BDF spokesperson Tebo Dikole said in a statement on 10 August that in its mission to defend Botswana territorial integrity national interest engaged poachers resulting in one of the suspect is believed to a be a part of a network responsible for cross border poaching adding that amongst the tools of their trade a 375 hunting rifle was recovered.
But following the recent fatal shooting of a suspected poacher in the Okavango, the Namibian Government could not wait for talks with its Botswana counterpart. Last month, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Dr Lemogang Kwape told The Telegraph that he was expected to travel to Namibia to hold talks with his counterpart relating to the matter. Namibians Lives Matter Movement which had been at the forefront of holding demonstrations and mobilizing against BDF had planned to confront Kwape as soon as he landed in that country.
Commenting on the deployment of the Namibian Defence Force (NDF) along the boarder that Botswana shares with Namibia, the movement’s national executive chairperson Sinvula Mudabeti said in a statement: “ As a movement, we are pleased to inform the nation that the office of the president has now realized that our public demonstrations were valid and the demands were genuine calls for border security and protection and thus our public protests were well placed and history and posterity will absolve us as having stood for basic human rights for our people.”
According to Mudabeti, the Namibian Lives Matter Movement acknowledges the response by the Namibian Government in the procurement and deployment of Navy patrol boats that will patrol the Chobe River, a hostile territory due to Botswana’s acts of war, intimidation and killings of innocent and unarmed Namibians.
“We appreciate the response by government after we made the demands in public demonstrations across the country by Namibians from all walks of life. We salute the brave sons of the soil and fearless daughters of Namibia who stood up to speak as Namibians united above political, ethnic, religious and social orientation to seek government’s intervention against a nation of Botswana that has claimed the lives of more than 37 innocent and unarmed Namibians since 1990 when Namibia gained its political independence,” he said.
He said they have recently noted with concern instances where some of their compatriots living along the Chobe River had incurred heavy financial demands by drilling private boreholes for their cattle and horticulture projects for their use because the BDF had made it unsafe for their people to use the shared Chobe River and now that their navy will patrol the river, our people will be free to use the Chobe River without fear of intimidation and death.
“We requested for protection and we are pleased that government is starting to heed our calls to defend and secure our territorial integrity. Ours is a noble and genuine cause that seeks protection for our people along the Chobe River, secure safety for our fishermen, farmers and the communities that subsist on the Chobe River for their livelihood and sustenance,” said Mudabeti.
