The ambitious project to transform Kasane and Kazungula into a premier regional and international tourism hub received a significant boost this week with the official opening and handover of two key infrastructure projects. The initiative aims to diversify the local tourism product beyond luxury wildlife, encouraging visitors to stay longer.
The two new facilities – a government institutional office building and a government fleet management workshop replace old offices previously located along the Kasane and Kazungula riverfronts. Relocating these services is a strategic move to free up prime riverfront land for tourism investment by Batswana.
In reconfiguring the area, the government seeks to correct past planning mishaps that led to missed opportunities. The goal is to ensure the resort town can compete on equal footing with neighbouring Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe and Livingstone in Zambia.
Central to this plan is a deliberate shift to have Kasane “turn a corner” and face its most valuable asset: the Chobe River. Currently, many malls and buildings have their backyards facing the water. The redevelopment will transform the riverfront into a vibrant area designed to attract and retain tourists.
While the project experienced delays due to shifts in government policy and the introduction of the Development Model, the completion of these buildings signals accelerated progress for future phases. Originally under the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, the project was briefly moved to the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure; however, expectations are that it will return to its original ministry under the current administration.
Minister of Tourism Wynter Mmolotsi conducted the official opening on Tuesday, handing over the fleet management workshop to the Ministry of Transport and the institutional office building to the Ministry of State President, Defence, and Security.
Minister Mmolotsi highlighted that the office building will house all departments affected by the relocation from the riverfront “government enclave.” Demonstrating a push for speed, the Minister emphasized that all departments should occupy their new offices by April 1st to ensure the facilities do not sit idle.
Mmolotsi stated that the project is rooted in product diversification, aiming to create jobs while enhancing the conservation and promotion of the area’s natural and cultural heritage.
Located at the confluence of the Zambezi and Chobe Rivers, Kasane is the primary gateway for high-spending foreign markets, making it an ideal candidate for such economic redevelopment.
“At present, the towns are not making the most of their exceptional natural assets and live in the shadows of Victoria Falls and Livingstone,” Mmolotsi noted. The redevelopment seeks to correct this anomaly for the benefit of the Chobe economy and its residents.
Meanwhile, the Member of Parliament for Chobe lamented that Kasane’s aesthetics were long sabotaged by planning arrangements that failed to position the town as a strategic destination. He urged that all future developments be designed to change the status quo, guided by the redevelopment project master plan.
