Preparations for the 34th Independence Day celebrations are progressing well at the Katima Mulilo Sports Complex. 

The event will be hosted in the town for the first time since independence.

The usual mood in the capital city of the Zambezi Region is now hyped by the activities and the arrival of people coming from other towns and regions.

Residents are grateful for the decision to finally celebrate the national celebration in their town. 

As you drive or walk around the town and the street, it is busy, and one of the places in the town that is buzzing is the Katima Mulilo Open Market, which sells traditional foods to locals and visitors. 

One of the main dishes is the Zambezi bream, which is a Tilapia type of fish species. 

The bream is served with pap and kale or spinach. The dish is famous because of its fresh smell.

Another business that is booming is tailoring, as people buy traditional outfits for the Independence Day celebrations.

Due to the high number of people coming to the town, their sales have increased, and therefore they are grateful that the event is not only historical but is also boosting the economy of the town.

According to the Director of Planning at the Regional Council, Beaven Walubita, the town is ready to host this year's Independence Day celebrations, and all logistics are in place. 

Walubita said although things started off on a slow note, much progress has been made with 120 more volunteers coming on board to assist with the logistics.

The planning committee is hoping that everything will go well tomorrow.

In terms of transport, all buses for picking up residents have been marked for their designated areas and constituencies, and water tanks have been set up. 

The Namibian Defence Force's rehearsals at the stadium ended today.

The gates are expected to open for arrivals at seven o'clock in the morning.