Farmers to protest Kavango issues, as tensions run high

TENSION is mounting in west Kavango as desperate Oshiwambo-speaking cattle farmers and frustrated local residents continue to lock horns over the illegal grazing of cattle.

Residents want the farmers and their animals out. The farmers say they have nowhere to go and also cite the illegal fencing off of communal land adjoining the Kavango Region as a major obstacle.They say they are willing to move if they are given grazing areas and if the fencing issue is resolved.The farmers were served with eviction orders on Saturday.They have been given seven days to leave the Ukwangali tribal area in Kavango or face legal action.In the meantime, residents in the area have allegedly started blocking access to water holes, while a number of cattle herders are reported to have fled the area.The herders claim they have been told to leave “by groups of residents”.Years ago a number of Ovakwanyama farmers were granted permission to farm in the Ukwangali area by the then chief.However problems arose because, over the years, many more farmers moved into the area with their cattle without seeking permission.As a result there are now more than 60 000 cattle grazing in west Kavango.Farmers from the former Owambo have been ordered to leave and re-apply for permission to return.Today Oshiwambo-speaking farmers plan to parade their grievances in the public arena.A demonstration is to be held at Omuthiyagwiipundi in the Oshikoto Region.Vilho Hamunyela, who is farming in west Kavango, told The Namibian yesterday that Sakarias Kondja Shiweda, a cattle herder, at Oshana shaNgali in south western Kavango, fled their cattle post on Monday.He claimed that Kavango people were now surrounding them and telling them to leave their area.According to Hamunyela, Shiweda told him that about 20 wells belonging to Oshiwambo-speaking herders have been “confiscated” by Kavango people since Sunday.Residents allegedly told the cattle herders not to come near them again.”Our animals have been without water for many days now and we fear that many will die, if something is not done now,” said Hamunyela.At a meeting held at Oluno, Ondangwa, on Saturday, the Mangetti Farmers’ Association (MFA) discussed the fate of the farmers in west Kavango.Hamunyela told the meeting that the issue would only be solved once the fences had been removed from farms in the eastern part of the Ondonga and Oukwanyama traditional areas, close to west Kavango.”We do not have a problem to come out of western Kavango, but the question is, where are we going to settle and to graze our cattle?” Hamunyela said.He said there would be enough land to graze their animals in the east of Ondonga (Oshikoto) and Oukwanyama (Ohangwena) if the two traditional authorities, especially the Ondonga Traditional Authority, had not given large areas to farmers, who have fenced off the land.Most of the Oshiwambo-speaking farmers in Kavango (Ukwangali Traditional Authority) are Oshikwanyama-speaking.Lameck Shikololo, Aktofel Sakarias and Erastus Sakarias, who farm in west Kavango, told The Namibian earlier that Chief Sitentu Mpasi told them that the Ovakwanyama were given a large area of land by the then Chief of the Ukwangali to graze their animals, but that it had been allowed to be hijacked by the Ondonga Traditional Authority.A source told The Namibian that it seemed that the MFA would now write to Chief Mpasi to beg him to give them more time to move – hopefully until January next year.Farmers say now is not the right time to move their cattle, as many of the animals are weak, some have calves and some are not well.The farmers say they have nowhere to go and also cite the illegal fencing off of communal land adjoining the Kavango Region as a major obstacle.They say they are willing to move if they are given grazing areas and if the fencing issue is resolved.The farmers were served with eviction orders on Saturday.They have been given seven days to leave the Ukwangali tribal area in Kavango or face legal action.In the meantime, residents in the area have allegedly started blocking access to water holes, while a number of cattle herders are reported to have fled the area.The herders claim they have been told to leave “by groups of residents”.Years ago a number of Ovakwanyama farmers were granted permission to farm in the Ukwangali area by the then chief.However problems arose because, over the years, many more farmers moved into the area with their cattle without seeking permission.As a result there are now more than 60 000 cattle grazing in west Kavango.Farmers from the former Owambo have been ordered to leave and re-apply for permission to return.Today Oshiwambo-speaking farmers plan to parade their grievances in the public arena.A demonstration is to be held at Omuthiyagwiipundi in the Oshikoto Region.Vilho Hamunyela, who is farming in west Kavango, told The Namibian yesterday that Sakarias Kondja Shiweda, a cattle herder, at Oshana shaNgali in south western Kavango, fled their cattle post on Monday.He claimed that Kavango people were now surrounding them and telling them to leave their area.According to Hamunyela, Shiweda told him that about 20 wells belonging to Oshiwambo-speaking herders have been “confiscated” by Kavango people since Sunday.Residents allegedly told the cattle herders not to come near them again.”Our animals have been without water for many days now and we fear that many will die, if something is not done now,” said Hamunyela.At a meeting held at Oluno, Ondangwa, on Saturday, the Mangetti Farmers’ Association (MFA) discussed the fate of the farmers in west Kavango.Hamunyela told the meeting that the issue would only be solved once the fences had been removed from farms in the eastern part of the Ondonga and Oukwanyama traditional areas, close to west Kavango.”We do not have a problem to come out of western Kavango, but the question is, where are we going to settle and to graze our cattle?” Hamunyela said.He said there would be enough land to graze their animals in the east of Ondonga (Oshikoto) and Oukwanyama (Ohangwena) if the two traditional authorities, especially the Ondonga Traditional Authority, had not given large areas to farmers, who have fenced off the land.Most of the Oshiwambo-speaking farmers in Kavango (Ukwangali Traditional Authority) are Oshikwanyama-speaking.Lameck Shikololo, Aktofel Sakarias and Erastus Sakarias, who farm in west Kavango, told The Namibian earlier that Chief Sitentu Mpasi told them that the Ovakwanyama were given a large area of land by the then Chief of the Ukwangali to graze their animals, but that it had been allowed to be hijacked by the Ondonga Traditional Authority.A source told The Namibian that it seemed that the MFA would now write to Chief Mpasi to beg him to give them more time to move – hopefully until January next year.Farmers say now is not the right time to move their cattle, as many of the animals are weak, some have calves and some are not well.