Namibia: New floating docking jetty enhances accessibility on Impalila Island!

A state-of-the-art floating docking jetty has been commissioned on Impalila Island in Namibia's Zambezi Region, significantly improving connectivity between the island and the mainland. Designed to adapt to fluctuating water levels, the jetty ensures a safe, efficient, and reliable link for water transport operators, pedestrians, and harbour users. This new infrastructure boosts the harbour's overall functionality, facilitating the smooth movement of goods, services, and visitors, while enhancing accessibility and safety.

Nestled in the Zambezi River near its confluence with the Chobe River, Impalila Island is a scenic gem at the easternmost tip of Namibia. The island shares borders with Zambia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe, making it a unique travel destination. Spanning approximately 12 kilometers in length and 2 kilometers in width, Impalila Island is renowned for its breathtaking landscapes, wildlife safaris, fishing, birdwatching, and boat cruises on the Zambezi and Chobe rivers.

This new floating jetty is set to enhance tourism and economic activity on Impalila Island, further solidifying its status as one of the top destinations in  Namibia's Zambezi Region.

Namibia: DR3522 in Zambezi Region temporarily closed!

The Namibian Roads Authority (RA), responsible for the development and upkeep of Namibia's road network, has announced the temporary closure of the District Road 3522/DR3522 (Namalubi – Kalumba road) in the Zambezi Region. The closure comes as a result of significant damage caused by recent heavy rainfall.
The Roads Authority (RA) has also urged road users to exercise heightened caution while traveling on the following roads in the region, which have become slippery due to wet conditions:

• DR3510: Bukalo – Lusese road
• DR3512: Ikumwe – Lusese road
• DR3572: Bukalo – Sifuha road

Travellers are advised to stay updated on road conditions and to prioritize safety when navigating affected areas.

Namibia: Low volume seal access roads officially opened on Impalila Island!

The Namibian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Works and Transport, John Mutorwa, has officially opened low volume seal access roads on Impalila Island in Namibia's Zambezi Region on 16 May 2024. The newly constructed district roads 3546, 3547, and 3575, which include minor access roads to public institutions, are approximately 25 kilometres long. The project was jointly funded by the Roads Authority and the Road Fund Administration at a total cost of approximately N$151,9 million.

“The island's rocky terrain with soft clay soil created severe mobility and accessibility challenges to essential services and government offices. This terrain became a nightmare during the rainy season, making vehicle operations cumbersome and leading to high vehicle operating and transport costs. Now that the construction of the roads is completed, I am sure motorists and the community on the island have experienced a reduction in vehicle operating & transport costs and seamless all weather access to essential services such as Government offices, Schools, Health Centres, and many Tourism Facilities", said John Mutorwa, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Works and Transport.

Impalila Island is situated in the Zambezi River, near the confluence with the Chobe River. It is located at the easternmost tip of Namibia, in the Zambezi Region, and borders three countries, namely Zambia, Botswana and Zimbabwe. The island is relatively small, approximately 12 kilometers long and up to 2 kilometers wide. Impalila Island is known for its scenic beauty, wildlife safaris, fishing, bird watching, and boat cruises on the Zambezi and Chobe rivers.

Namibia: FlyWestair has launched flights between Windhoek <> Katima Mulilo!

Namibian privately-owned passenger airline FlyWestair has launched a new service to Namibia's Zambezi Region. The airline is now offering three weekly flights on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays between Eros Airport (ERS) in Windhoek and Katima Mulilo Airport (MPA) in Katima Mulilo. Flights depart Windhoek at 11:00 and arrive in Katima Mulilo at 12:25 while the return flights depart Katima Mulilo at 13:05 and arrive in Windhoek at 14:30. 

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Namibia: The Roads Authority has released an update on the conditions of roads in north eastern Namibia!

Namibia's Road Authority (RA), whose core business is to construct and maintain the country's road sector, has released an update on the status/condition of roads in Kavango West, Kavango East and the Zambezi Region in the north eastern part of Namibia (as of 05 March 2021):

Kavango East:

• TR08/4 Rundu - Divundu Road
• There are severe scattered potholes on the entire road. Three Bitumen Maintenance Units are currently repairing the damaged sections when the weather permits. The RA has also erected warning signs at critical places to alert motorist on the damage.
• As a long-term strategy, this road will be rehabilitated to mitigate future damages during rainy seasons. Should funds permit, rehabilitation will commence after the rainy season has ended.

Kavango West:

• District Road DR3476 - Mavatje from kilometre 3.1 to 4
• A bypass was done at the affected area and warning signs were erected on both sides. In addition, a number of culverts will be installed at the different sections.

Zambezi Region:

• Katima Mulilo
• Some sections on the following roads are damaged:
• District Road DR3507 (between Muyako and TR8/7 Ngoma)
• District Road DR3510 (End of surface in Bukalo to DR3512 Lusese)
• District Road DR3512 (TR8/7 Ikumwe to DR3510 Lusese)
• District Road DR3514 (MR125 Mwambezi to Zilitene)
• District Road DR3532 (DR3507 to Ibbu Combined School)
• District Road DR3533 (DR3507 to Mutikitila Primary School)
• District Road DR3535 (DR3507 to Isuswa Primary School)

Namibia: Air Namibia has restarted operations between Windhoek <> Katima Mulilo!

Namibia's cash-strapped national airline, Air Namibia, has restarted scheduled services between Eros Airport (ERS) in Windhoek and Katima Mulilo Airport (MPA) in Katima Mulilo, the capital of the Zambezi Region in the extreme north-east of Namibia. From today (01 February 2021), the airline operates four weekly return flights on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays to Katima Mulilo.

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Namibia: Roads in the Zambezi Region set to be revamped after heavy rains & floods!

The Roads Authority Namibia (RA) is set to repair and upgrade roads in the Namibia's Zambezi Region that were damaged by heavy rains and subsequent heavy floods. These include the roads between Ngoma <> Ibbu, Izimwe <> Nakabolewa, Namalubi <> Isize <> Luhonono and Singalamwe <> Kongola <> Liselo. The Roads Authority will only revamp affected roads which have already dried up and the flood water has completely receded. The Zambezi Region, until 2013 known as the Caprivi Region, is located in the extreme north-east of Namibia.

Namibia: New rhino and elephant poaching figures!

According to the latest figures released by the Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MET), Namibia has lost at least 47 rhinos to illegal poaching since January 2016. During the same period of time, at least 69 elephants got killed by poachers. These illegal killings mainly happened in the Zambezi region and the Kavango region, while most rhinos were poached in Etosha National Park. 

Poachers have killed about 10% of Namibia's rhinos in recent years - one rhino was recorded poached in 2011, two in 2012, four in 2013, 24 in 2014 and 127 in 2015. Out of the 201 rhinos killed by poachers since 2011, 184 were black rhinos and 17 were white rhinos. 137 black rhinos and eleven white rhinos were killed in Etosha National Park, 40 black rhinos got slaughtered in conservancies and six white rhinos as well as seven black rhinos on private land.

Namibia: Two new conservancies approved in the Zambezi Region!

Namibia's Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MET) approved two new conservancies in the country's Zambezi Region, formerly known as Caprivi Region. According to Deputy Minister of Environment and Tourism, Pohamba Shifeta, the new Lusese and Nakabolelwa conservancies, which are located in the Kabbe North and South constituencies of the Zambezi Region, will possibly be gazetted by the beginning of August 2014. The two new areas are bringing the number of registered conservancies in Namibia to 81.

Namibia renames regions & towns

update (10 April 2014): According to a recent report in The Namibian (online edition, 08 April 2014), the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) has accepted the name change from Lüderitz to !Nami#Nus, despite an ongoing dispute over the name of the southern harbour town. The ECN placed a government gazette notification in daily newspapers on 07 April 2014 in Namibia, in which they referred to !Nami#Nus instead of Lüderitz. The commission told the newspaper that it refers to the information it gathered from the gazetted information from the Fourth Delimitation Commission.

update (10 Sept 2013): The Lüderitz renaming saga continues - Namibia's president Hifikepunye Pohamba on Friday (06 Sept 2013) said that he had approved the recent renaming of Lüderitz to !Nami#Nus on recommendation of the Fourth Delimitation Commission.

update (29 Aug 2013): According to various media reports, Namibia's Minister of Regional and Local Government, Housing and Rural Development Charles Namoloh is insisting that the town name of Lüderitz has been changed despite the comments made by Shangala.

update (26 Aug 2013): According to Hitradio, a German-Namibian radio station in Namibia, the name of Lüderitz will not be changed. The Chairman of the Law Reform and Development Commission, Mr. Shanghala, told the Namibia Press Agency (NAMPA) that only the constituency (a subdivision of a Namibian region) will be renamed !Nami=Nüs. We'll keep you posted!

The President of Namibia, Hifikepunye Pohamba, yesterday revealed that the Caprivi Region will now be called Zambezi Region, while the Karas Region has been renamed to !Karas Region and that the Kavango Region will be divided into Kavango East and Kavango West. According to South Africa's newspaper Business Day (online edition), Schuckmannsburg in the Zambezi Region (!) was changed back to its original Lohonono and the coastal town of Lüderitz in the !Karas Region //Karas Region (!) is now called !Nami=Nüs, which means "embrace" in local Khoekhoegowab, a Khoisan language.