The Northern Khwe

We began our own exploration of the Chobe’s past with an examination of the District’s largest ethnic community, the Vekuhane [Veekuhane] or Basubiya, while noting that the population of both District and wider Zambesi-Linyandi region has long been ethnically heterogeneous.

In modern times the Vekuhane have comprised approximately a third of the population of the Zambezi (Eastern Caprivi) Province of Namibia as well as two thirds of the inhabitants of the Chobe District, along with much of the indigenous population along the northern bank of the Zambezi between Katima Mulilo and Kazungula in western Zambia. Additional Vekuhane concentrations in Botswana are found at Gumare in Ngamiland and the Boteti sub-district around Rakops.

The total Vekuhane population has never been especially large, with Shamukuni in 1972 estimating that altogether they “number well over 16,000”. While exact figures are difficult to come by in the context of “non-tribal” basis post-colonial censuses, as well as their historic status subjects of the Malozi kings and widespread intermarriage with other groups, available documentation indicates roughly similar numbers of Vekuhane now living within Botswana, Namibia and Zambia.

Editor's Comment
Inspect the voters' roll!

The recent disclosure by the IEC that 2,513 registrations have been turned down due to various irregularities should prompt all Batswana to meticulously review the voters' rolls and address concerns about rejected registrations.The disparities flagged by the IEC are troubling and emphasise the significance of rigorous voter registration processes.Out of the rejected registrations, 29 individuals were disqualified due to non-existent Omang...

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