Evicted farmers turn to Angola

SOME cattle of Oshiwambo-speaking communal farmers who were evicted from western Kavango last year are now grazing in southern Angola’s Cunene province.

Ismael Shailemo, one of the farmers evicted from the Ukwangali tribal area in Kavango, told The Namibian that the farmers drove their cattle into Angola because they were starving. Shailemo said they would soon arrange a meeting with the governor of Cunene province, Pedro Mutindi, to ask him to allow their cattle to stay there permanently.The spokesperson for the evicted farmers, Vilho Hamunyela, says many cattle belonging to Oshiwambo-speaking farmers are grazing in Cunene province.However, some farmers have returned to the Ukwangali area, claiming they have nowhere else to go.The Oshiwambo-speaking farmers were evicted in November last year after the Kwangali Traditional Authority approached the courts, saying they were occupying the land without permission.Shailemo said they would soon arrange a meeting with the governor of Cunene province, Pedro Mutindi, to ask him to allow their cattle to stay there permanently.The spokesperson for the evicted farmers, Vilho Hamunyela, says many cattle belonging to Oshiwambo-speaking farmers are grazing in Cunene province.However, some farmers have returned to the Ukwangali area, claiming they have nowhere else to go.The Oshiwambo-speaking farmers were evicted in November last year after the Kwangali Traditional Authority approached the courts, saying they were occupying the land without permission.