Governor, Police chief to meet on Kavango standoff

THE Governor of Kavango, John Thiguru, will meet the Regional Police Commander today to discuss eviction orders served on Oshiwambo-speaking farmers who are refusing to remove their cattle from west Kavango.

“We know that the deadline given to these farmers to leave west Kavango has already elapsed on Saturday, but I have learnt that many of the farmers are still in western Kavango,” the Governor said. He said he would hold an emergency meeting with Chief Inspector Olavi Auanga and other senior Police officers to discuss what action to take.The Chairman of the Kavango Land Board, Severinus Rengura, also told The Namibian that most of the evicted farmers are staying put despite the order.”This is a concern of all of us, especially of the Cabinet, the Government … and something has to be done soon to get these farmers out, because this decision will not be reversed.They will have to leave,” said Rengura, who signed the eviction orders.NamPol’s Chief of Operations, Major General Tuweefeni M’lukeni, told The Namibian that the matter is now in the hands of the Minister of Safety and Security, and a decision on the next step will be made at high level.The Namibian could not get hold of the spokesperson for the Ministry of Safety and Security by the time of going to press.Oshiwambo farmers have entered the west Kavango grazing area since the early 1990s.While some farmer have permission from Ukwangali traditional leaders to keep their cattle in Kavango, many have entered the area without getting permission from local traditional leaders.The Ukwangali Traditional Authority of Chief Sitentu Mpasi was unhappy with the influx of illegal farmers and has held meetings with the Ondonga and Oukwanyama Traditional Authorities and Government on the issue since 2001, but to little effect.In October, Chief Mpasi told the Oshiwambo-speaking farmers to leave west Kavango immediately.Cabinet held an emergency meeting on the issue and decided that all the Oshiwambo-speaking people who are illegally farming in west Kavango must move out.The farmers said they would not move, because there is no place in the former Owambo where they can settle with their livestock.They held two demonstrations, one at Eenhana and one at Omuthiya, demanding that Government and the two traditional authorities give them grazing in the former Owambo.They say they have not received a reply from Government.He said he would hold an emergency meeting with Chief Inspector Olavi Auanga and other senior Police officers to discuss what action to take.The Chairman of the Kavango Land Board, Severinus Rengura, also told The Namibian that most of the evicted farmers are staying put despite the order.”This is a concern of all of us, especially of the Cabinet, the Government … and something has to be done soon to get these farmers out, because this decision will not be reversed.They will have to leave,” said Rengura, who signed the eviction orders.NamPol’s Chief of Operations, Major General Tuweefeni M’lukeni, told The Namibian that the matter is now in the hands of the Minister of Safety and Security, and a decision on the next step will be made at high level.The Namibian could not get hold of the spokesperson for the Ministry of Safety and Security by the time of going to press.Oshiwambo farmers have entered the west Kavango grazing area since the early 1990s.While some farmer have permission from Ukwangali traditional leaders to keep their cattle in Kavango, many have entered the area without getting permission from local traditional leaders.The Ukwangali Traditional Authority of Chief Sitentu Mpasi was unhappy with the influx of illegal farmers and has held meetings with the Ondonga and Oukwanyama Traditional Authorities and Government on the issue since 2001, but to little effect.In October, Chief Mpasi told the Oshiwambo-speaking farmers to leave west Kavango immediately.Cabinet held an emergency meeting on the issue and decided that all the Oshiwambo-speaking people who are illegally farming in west Kavango must move out.The farmers said they would not move, because there is no place in the former Owambo where they can settle with their livestock.They held two demonstrations, one at Eenhana and one at Omuthiya, demanding that Government and the two traditional authorities give them grazing in the former Owambo.They say they have not received a reply from Government.