Criminal charges looming in grazing dispute

CRIMINAL charges could be brought against Oshiwambo-speaking farmers who have been ignoring Government orders to remove their herds from western Kavango.

The Kavango Land Board approached the office of the Attorney General for advice on how to resolve the standoff. The chairman of the Land Board, Severinus Rengura, told The Namibian that the board held an extraordinary meeting on January 6 where it decided to approach the Attorney General’s office.On January 20 the Attorney General sent advisers to Kavango, where they met with the Land Board, Ukwangali Chief Sitentu Mpasi and his traditional authority.According to Rengura, the Ukwangali leaders were advised that they could either lay criminal charges against the farmers or lodge a civil case.Chief Mpasi opted for criminal charges, Rengura said, and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Lands was informed of the decision and requested to implement it.On Monday, the Ministry of Lands published the names of 50 communal farmers accused of illegally grazing their cattle in the Ukwangali Traditional Authority area and reminded them that they have received eviction orders.The notifications of eviction were served on the 50 farmers by the Kavango Communal Land Board between November 18 and 23 last year.Lands Permanent Secretary Frans Tsheehama said on Monday that 23 other farmers would be served with similar eviction orders.Failure to comply with the eviction orders could incur a one-year jail term or a fine of N$4 000.In December, hundreds of people from the Ukwangali tribal area staged a demonstration to express their unhappiness about the Government’s delay in evicting the Oshiwambo-speaking farmers and their cattle herds.The Oshiwambo farmers have refused to budge, saying they have nowhere to take their herds because large areas of the former Owambo are fenced off by rich farmers.They have said that they would only move their herds if the Government and the Ondonga and Oukwanyama tribal authorities gave them land in former Owambo.The chairman of the Land Board, Severinus Rengura, told The Namibian that the board held an extraordinary meeting on January 6 where it decided to approach the Attorney General’s office.On January 20 the Attorney General sent advisers to Kavango, where they met with the Land Board, Ukwangali Chief Sitentu Mpasi and his traditional authority.According to Rengura, the Ukwangali leaders were advised that they could either lay criminal charges against the farmers or lodge a civil case.Chief Mpasi opted for criminal charges, Rengura said, and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Lands was informed of the decision and requested to implement it.On Monday, the Ministry of Lands published the names of 50 communal farmers accused of illegally grazing their cattle in the Ukwangali Traditional Authority area and reminded them that they have received eviction orders.The notifications of eviction were served on the 50 farmers by the Kavango Communal Land Board between November 18 and 23 last year.Lands Permanent Secretary Frans Tsheehama said on Monday that 23 other farmers would be served with similar eviction orders.Failure to comply with the eviction orders could incur a one-year jail term or a fine of N$4 000.In December, hundreds of people from the Ukwangali tribal area staged a demonstration to express their unhappiness about the Government’s delay in evicting the Oshiwambo-speaking farmers and their cattle herds.The Oshiwambo farmers have refused to budge, saying they have nowhere to take their herds because large areas of the former Owambo are fenced off by rich farmers.They have said that they would only move their herds if the Government and the Ondonga and Oukwanyama tribal authorities gave them land in former Owambo.