98 Namibians who have been living in neighbouring Botswana for decades have returned to Namibia, their country of origin.

They were formally received at the Dobe Border Post in the Otjozondjupa Region by Namibian government officials.

The Namibian government, through the Ministry of Agriculture, Water, and Land Reform as well as the Ministry of Home Affairs and Immigration, facilitated their repatriation.

To welcome the group, traditional rituals were performed by the Kambazembi Royal Traditional Authority, who, together with the Ministry of Agriculture, secured a communal area west of Gam known as Otjipaheua to receive their livestock.

The ministry also drilled boreholes, installed water tanks and solar lights, and constructed animal handling facilities for them.

Additionally, five commercial farms in the Omaheke, Otjozondjupa, and Hardap regions with a combined size of 23,000 hectares will serve as their resettlement location.

The repatriated group will be provided with Namibian identity documents, and their children will be enrolled in government schools.

During his speech at the historic event, the Minister of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety, and Security, Dr. Albert Kawana, said, "At long last, they are stepping on the land of their ancestors," adding that “From 1908 to date, it marks exactly 116 years when our forefathers of the Ovaherero community crossed the same border between Botswana and Namibia to seek shelter in our neighbouring country as a result of the genocidal extermination order by Lothar von Trotha against our Ovaherero community."

Land Reform Minister Calle Schlettwein informed Parliament earlier this year that the repatriation of the Batswana of Namibian Descent will be done in two phases. Phase one comprises the group without livestock, and phase two comprises a more logistically complicated group that will come with livestock. 

The date for the second repatriation is yet to be announced.