WINDHOEK – Cabinet has directed Namibia’s power utility company NamPower and the Zimbabwean Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) to meet to finalise the ongoing negotiations for the possible supply of an additional 50 megawatts to Namibia.

This was part of the latest briefing on cabinet decisions by Information and Communication Technology Deputy Minister Engel Nawatiseb yesterday. 

NamPower currently imports 12 percent of electricity from Zimbabwe’s ZESA, 48 percent from South Africa’s Eskom and 28 percent from the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP).
Nawatiseb said Cabinet also instructed the Ministry of Works and Transport to appoint consultants by the end of next month regarding the development of a railway line linking Zimbabwe to the port of Walvis Bay, where that country has a dry port facility.

Also, Cabinet instructed the works ministry to review the 2010 study that includes approximately 800 kilometres of railway that will be built from Grootfontein, Otjozondjupa Region to Katima Mulilo, Zambezi Region to interconnect with Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Furthermore, Cabinet also instructed the ministry of works to finalise the development of an implementation plan and terms of reference with regard to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Cooperation in Meteorology before the end of next month.

Similarly, Nawatiseb said Cabinet also instructed the ministry of works to fast-track the implementation of the Bilateral Cross Border Road Transport Agreement and also fast-track the implementation of the Agreement on Cross Border Railway Transport by appointing a consultant to advise on the best way to connect Namibia and Zimbabwe by railway, as well as finalise the terms of reference by the end of this month.
Additionally, the ministry of works is also instructed to fast-track the implementation of the MoU on the construction of bridges at Rundu-Calai, Nkurenkuru-Cuagar and Geiriku.

“The ministry of works should convene a consultative meeting with relevant stakeholders during the planning and design phase of the bridges by end of next month,” he said.

Also, he said, the ministry of works should notify the government of Angola on the status regarding the suspension of Air Namibia flights between Windhoek and Luanda.

Nawatiseb said Cabinet similarly instructed the Ministry of Mines and Energy to fast-tract the implementation of the agreement with its counterpart the Ministry of Mines and Geology of Angola by developing modalities on geological studies.

And also, to update and finalise the Baynes Hydro Power Project Technical and Environmental Studies by the end of this month, as well as adhere to the tentative project timeline.