22 Oct 2023

 Mbungu-wa-Kathimana Cultural Society has been lauded for a stellar job of making sure that the 2023 edition of the Mbungu cultural festival is a resounding success.

President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi said this before scores of cultural enthusiasts who came from far and wide to feast their eyes on the 23rd edition held on the fringes of the mighty Okavango River in Shakawe on October 21.

“Planning and successful execution of this event has raised the level of enthusiasm to its highest,” he said.

The fact that the government’s top brass, the President included, were part of the festivities spoke highly of the commitment towards an inclusive society, where Batswana from all walks of life were accorded equal treatment.

It is to this end, he said, that the government was moving with speed to make sure the White Paper that promoted equality amongst tribes form part of the agenda in the next Parliament. “Nte ke le bolelele gore puso e dumalana le mogopolo oo, gore le Batswana le lekana le Motswana mongwe le mongwe ka sengwe le sengwe,” he said much to the applause and ululations from the elated crowd.

This, he stated, followed right on the heels of some of the recommendations of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry into the Review of the Constitution Report handed to the government in September 2022.
To show the seriousness of the matter, President Masisi said government had put in a lot of financial resources to start teaching Thimbukushu language at the primary school level. Not only that, he told them that the idea to have Hambukushu people renounce their Angolan citizenship every time they renewed Omang had been stopped forthwith.

On the economic front, he shared with the people of Okavango his dream to have the entire region bustle with life and fend off poverty.

The people of Okavango and Batswana in general, he relayed, ought to live off the rich flora and fauna and breathe life into the economy.

President Masisi told the festival of the many economic spin-offs that could be derived from tangible culture; something he stated can be achieved if the creative industry was to leverage the high-speed free internet connectivity, commonly known as SmartBots that is strewn all over the country and sell their content locally, regionally and internationally.

“I want you to buy into this vision that I have for this country so that together we can reach greater heights,” he said, promising that he would want to see Mbungu cultural festival grow in leaps and bounds starting 2024.

The festival attendants learnt of government’s plan to construct a multi-purpose arena that would host events such as the Mbungu cultural festival in Okavango at a yet-to-be-decided place during the National Development Plan 12.

President Masisi was quick though to convey that proper consultation with merafe in the region would have to kick in first and that the envisaged arena would not be a preserve for the people of Okavango alone, but a national asset that would serve all Batswana.

The President also popped out P200 as a joining fee to have him and the First Lady Neo Masisi enlisted as bonafide members of the Mbungu cultural society.

Minister of Youth, Gender, Sport and Culture, Tumiso Rakgare and Assistant Minister of Agriculture, Molebatsi Molebatsi followed suit and paid the same amount for themselves and their spouses.

Rakgare commended President Masisi for his visionary leadership borne out of the deep desire to improve the lives of his fellow citizens.

“As alluded to by many speakers before me, you have made great strides and achieved a lot for Batswana ever since your ascendency to the highest office in the land,” he said.

Area MP, Kenny Kapinga also commended efforts geared towards promoting culture and was also of the view that the scenic beauty of Okavango qualifies it to have a state-of-the-art facility that could be used as a launching pad of the artists and creatives to the outside world.

Giving a solidarity message on behalf of the Namibia Hambukushu Traditional Authority, Damian Maghambayi from Kavango East constituency in Namibia  said they were more than ready to chip in and offer technical expertise in the teaching of the Hambukushu language at schools.

He said his government was also happy with the stance taken by Botswana to embrace cultural diversity by giving all the people unfettered freedom to practice and preserve their different cultures and traditions.

Shakawe senior chief representative, Kgosi Fumu Mutebu Mbambo commended President Masisi for achieving a lot.

Mbungu wa-Kathimana Cultural Society is an apolitical, non-profit organization that is committed to upholding and embracing the Hambukushu culture in its totality and currently has about 1,000 members.

It was established in 1999 and officially launched in 2001 at Etsha 6.

This year’s festival was held under the theme; ‘Ghomu gha yendire mapi mo mbo diyenda dithana,’ or in Setswana ‘Tlhako ya morago e gata fa ya pele e gatileng teng.” ENDS