Supporters of the two parties have hoisted many party flags on trees around the village, and two trees sport the flags of both parties.

The village headman, Filippus Kafoya, confirmed at the meeting called by Governor Usko Nghaamwa that he had given both parties permission to put flags on trees.

However, he said two trees at the village were the exception - each of them is used by one of the political parties as a meeting place.

Both parties put up their flags on these two trees, eliciting complaints from each other.

Governor Nghaamwa - who had earlier demanded that the RDP remove its flags from the trees - on Tuesday tried to reach a compromise, but the party supporters would have none of it.

RDP members refused to meet in the shade of the 'Swapo' tree and demanded a neutral venue.

Nghaamwa refused, saying the meeting would be held under the Swapo-flagged tree whether the RDP liked it or not.

The RDP members then walked off, and two separate meetings were held for a while.

People at the 'Swapo' meeting then told the Governor that the problem would not be solved without involving the RDP members, and it was decided to continue the meeting under a 'neutral tree'.

Only the local party leaders, the Governor, the headman and the regional Police commander, Deputy Commissioner Armas Shivute, attended this third meeting.

Swapo branch co-ordinator Eliaser Frans Shindume told the meeting that he obtained permission to put up flags on trees and was shocked when the RDP followed suit and flagged two trees that were already flying a Swapo flag.

Peter Naholo of the RDP responded by saying that one of the trees in question belonged to the whole community and was used as a general meeting place.

No single party had the right to mark this tree as its territory, he said.

The other tree was the one used by the RDP as a meeting place, he said.

"Our policy is not to hoist flags on trees, but here we did it to show Swapo that hoisting flags on other people's trees or on community trees is wrong and should be stopped," Naholo said.

Naholo proposed that both parties remove their flags from the two trees, but the Swapo representatives refused and insisted that the RDP remove its flags only.

The meeting ended in deadlock.

Regional party leaders are to meet again to try and resolve the dispute.

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