Farmers blame Ministry for raiding lions

CATTLE farmers in the North have accused the Ministry of Environment and Tourism of not properly fencing off the Etosha National Park.

The lack of a fully functioning game-proof fence has resulted in many lions and elephants crossing the fence into neighbouring areas, farmers allege. They also complain that the fence was damaged in many places and that the Ministry has failed to repair it.This has affected villages such as Onoolongo, Oshiwarunda and others to the south of the Uuvudhiya and Okahao constituencies in the Oshana and Omusati regions.They say they have lost livestock such as cattle goats, sheep, donkeys and horses.The Councillor for the Uuvudhiya constituency, Amutenya Ndaafa, who has a farm near Oshiwarunda in the south of the Oshana Region complained to The Namibian that, since last year, he had lost 25 cattle, allegedly to lions.A well known businessman, Josef Ismael, claims to have lost 68 cattle to lions.Max Kanandunge, who has a cattle post at Okatumbokondjupa close to Etosha Park, complained to The Namibian that, since January, he had lost two cattle and eight goats to lions.According to Kanandunge: “They come in a prides of even up to 20 at night and surround the kraals.Some of them jump into the kraals and chase the animals out, and then those outside catch them and kill them.”He said they were “now appealing to the Ministry of Environment to get its house in order, because we cannot continue like this”.”This [killing] has now been going on for a long time and we think that it is high time that the Ministry compensates us for our loss,” an angry Kanandunge said.He added that the value of his losses exceeded N$10 000.He said the lions were now terrorising cattle herders and many were afraid to work at the cattle posts.When The Namibian approached the spokesperson of the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, Sacky Namugongo, he said that they knew about these problems and that they had sent their officials to the area to investigate.Asked whether they would compensate farmers for their losses, Namugongo said that it was not Ministry policy to compensate farmers.He said that they would do something about the fence.Farmers have threatened to declare war on the lions and elephants.They also complain that the fence was damaged in many places and that the Ministry has failed to repair it.This has affected villages such as Onoolongo, Oshiwarunda and others to the south of the Uuvudhiya and Okahao constituencies in the Oshana and Omusati regions.They say they have lost livestock such as cattle goats, sheep, donkeys and horses.The Councillor for the Uuvudhiya constituency, Amutenya Ndaafa, who has a farm near Oshiwarunda in the south of the Oshana Region complained to The Namibian that, since last year, he had lost 25 cattle, allegedly to lions.A well known businessman, Josef Ismael, claims to have lost 68 cattle to lions.Max Kanandunge, who has a cattle post at Okatumbokondjupa close to Etosha Park, complained to The Namibian that, since January, he had lost two cattle and eight goats to lions.According to Kanandunge: “They come in a prides of even up to 20 at night and surround the kraals.Some of them jump into the kraals and chase the animals out, and then those outside catch them and kill them.”He said they were “now appealing to the Ministry of Environment to get its house in order, because we cannot continue like this”.”This [killing] has now been going on for a long time and we think that it is high time that the Ministry compensates us for our loss,” an angry Kanandunge said.He added that the value of his losses exceeded N$10 000.He said the lions were now terrorising cattle herders and many were afraid to work at the cattle posts.When The Namibian approached the spokesperson of the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, Sacky Namugongo, he said that they knew about these problems and that they had sent their officials to the area to investigate.Asked whether they would compensate farmers for their losses, Namugongo said that it was not Ministry policy to compensate farmers.He said that they would do something about the fence.Farmers have threatened to declare war on the lions and elephants.