Defiant farmers get organised

THE Oshiwambo-speaking farmers evicted from western Kavango last year have formed a farmers’ association called the Ovawambo Herders’ Association to represent their interests.

The Ukwangali Traditional Authority and the Kavango Communal Land Board told the farmers in October last year to remove their cattle from west Kavango, where they were allegedly grazing illegally. They have not yet complied with the eviction orders.Their spokesperson, Vilho Hamunyela, told The Namibian that the farmers are adamant that they are not in Kavango illegally.He said the Ukwangali Traditional Authority and the Kavango Land Board had recently laid criminal charges against the farmers.Hamunyela said the association had acquired the legal services of Hilma Tukale Hitula of the law firm Hitula and Associates in Oshakati to represent them in the case.The Kavango Police Commander, Chief Inspector Olavi Auanga, has confirmed that a criminal case was opened against the farmers, but did not want to elaborate on the charges.A reliable Police source told The Namibian that the case had been forwarded to the Prosecutor General’s Office for a decision.Hamunyela said the farmers would claim compensation for property that was allegedly damaged in western Kavango last year.He claimed that cattle posts, wells, mahangu sheds and fences had been destroyed by members of the Ukwangali community since October and some cattle had even been killed.On October 9 last year, the Chief of the Ukwangali Traditional Authority, Chief Sitentu Mpasi, ordered all Oshiwambo-speaking cattle herders in his area to remove their cattle.The herders refused, saying they had nowhere in the former Owambo to take their herds.On November 19, the Ukwangali Traditional Authority and the Kavango Land Board served eviction notices on the farmers.They, and their cattle, are still in west Kavango in defiance of the eviction orders.They have not yet complied with the eviction orders.Their spokesperson, Vilho Hamunyela, told The Namibian that the farmers are adamant that they are not in Kavango illegally.He said the Ukwangali Traditional Authority and the Kavango Land Board had recently laid criminal charges against the farmers.Hamunyela said the association had acquired the legal services of Hilma Tukale Hitula of the law firm Hitula and Associates in Oshakati to represent them in the case.The Kavango Police Commander, Chief Inspector Olavi Auanga, has confirmed that a criminal case was opened against the farmers, but did not want to elaborate on the charges.A reliable Police source told The Namibian that the case had been forwarded to the Prosecutor General’s Office for a decision.Hamunyela said the farmers would claim compensation for property that was allegedly damaged in western Kavango last year.He claimed that cattle posts, wells, mahangu sheds and fences had been destroyed by members of the Ukwangali community since October and some cattle had even been killed.On October 9 last year, the Chief of the Ukwangali Traditional Authority, Chief Sitentu Mpasi, ordered all Oshiwambo-speaking cattle herders in his area to remove their cattle.The herders refused, saying they had nowhere in the former Owambo to take their herds.On November 19, the Ukwangali Traditional Authority and the Kavango Land Board served eviction notices on the farmers.They, and their cattle, are still in west Kavango in defiance of the eviction orders.