- Pending payments of over P11.7 million against bank balance of P3.9 million
The Chobe District Council currently faces pending payments amounting to over P11.7 million, covering utilities, taxes, sitting allowances, and general supplier costs.
With a bank balance of only P3.9 million, the council is unable to meet its immediate financial obligations for March 2026. This shortfall was revealed by Chobe District Council Chairman, Johane Chenjekwa, during a full council meeting held in Kasane this week.
Chenjekwa stated that as of 20th March 2026, council expenditure stood at P105 million, representing 86% of the total budget. The 2025/26 financial year, which ends on 31st March, was funded by a Revenue Support Grant (RSG) of P116,306,797 and internal revenue of P6,330,710.
“The council has so far received 100% of its RSG and 43% from its own sources. Despite receiving the full RSG, our council struggled to meet its financial obligations as the funds were disbursed in piecemeal, making it difficult to plan and adhere to the approved budget and Procurement Plan,” he said.
This financial instability has stalled several projects, including the maintenance of the Bus Rank, Pandamatenga Primary School, and Kavimba Clinic. Actual internal revenue collection stands at P2.7 million—a shortfall of P3.6 million. Chenjekwa attributed this partly to the community’s unwillingness to pay for services, which hinders the council’s ability to serve them adequately.
Despite these challenges, Chenjekwa highlighted that several priority projects have been approved under National Development Plan 12 (NDP12). These include Kasane Primary Hospital, Kachikau-Shorobe Road, Chobe-Zambezi Water Transfer Scheme, Kasane-Kazungula Redevelopment Projects and maintenance of public facilities and land servicing at Kachikau
He expressed concern over the omission of the Kazungula-Pandamatenga water pipeline, stating he hopes it has been integrated into the Chobe-Zambezi Water Transfer project. “We will engage with the relevant Ministry to get a better understanding on this matter,” he added.
Additionally, projects under the Botswana Economic Transformation Programme (BETP) for Chobe include a 5-star hotel and spa, a dry inland port at Kazungula, and a wellness spa and golf course in Kasane.
