- this as CAAB moves to refurbish burdensome airstrips
- Works to commence on closed Palapye airstrip
- Shakawe, Seronga, Gumare and Mamuno airstrips past tender
“The first big thing with Seronga airstrip would be fencing, electrification, installation of asphalt pavement on the run way and building of a terminal building with ablutions and all the necessities,”
Civil Aviation Authority of Botswana Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr Bao Mosinyi has revealed that among the burdensome airstrips that are planned for major upgrade is Seronga which has been a contentious issue for the Okavango’s eastern panhandle.
Dr Mosinyi said in an interview that while a number of their airstrips were in bad conditions, with some closed, priority to maintenance is being given to those that most needed, citing Palapye, followed by Seronga, Shakawe, Gumare and Mamuno.
While currently in use, Seronga airstrip is in a bad condition and has been a concern for the aviation and tourism sectors as it facilitates air travel to the Okavango’s eastern panhandle. Shakawe airstrip is also in similar situation with infrastructure like the fence and runway dilapidated.
Dr Mosinyi revealed that funds to maintain the Palapye airstrip have been secured from a partnership with Botswana Defence Force (BDF), adding that works will commence soon.
The Seronga, Shakawe, Gumare and Mamuno projects are past design tendering stage and will be done under the government development budget.
“The first big thing with Seronga airstrip would be fencing, electrification, installation of asphalt pavement on the run way and building of a terminal building with ablutions and all the necessities,” he said.
He was however quick to point out that currently the projects have been suspended as the government coffers have been drained, but as soon as the funds are available, they will prioritise them.
“We will have a very nice airfield in Palapye much better than the others given the money that we will put in, but unfortunately some of the airstrips will remain closed because they do not comply,” he said.
Meanwhile Dr Mosinyi has indicated that through negotiations, the authority has managed to convince lands ministry and land boards to lower the exorbitant lease fees of its airstrips, considering that the facilities were not profitable.
In an effort to implore government to review the rates, CAAB management held discussions with the ministry of lands and agriculture but were advised to engage the Land Boards to further express their appeal.
Following these engagements, the new lease regulations came into effect at the beginning of October last year.
“With the new regulations, it would cost P5 000 per year per airstrip, collectively that would cost P130 000 a year, so we believe the rates are fair,” he said.
Dr Mosinyi however noted that they have since written to the Ministry of Lands and Agriculture pleading with them to apply the new regulations in their outstanding P30 million arrears from the previous rates.
He lamented that the authority cannot afford to pay the P30 million lease arrears owed to the various Land Boards, adding that CAAB used to pay a fee of P100 per year for these leases before they were reviewed 55 thebe per square meter.
“Given that these airstrips are huge, payments per airstrip amounted to P875 000 annually, with the bill totalling to P20 million for all the airstrips, so we could not pay that because we don’t have the money,” he said.
