Himba village yet to see liberation fruits

ALMOST twenty-two years after Namibia gained its independence from colonial rule, a group of Ovahimba people living in the Kunene Region are yet to taste the fruits of Namibia’s freedom.

Approximately 70 households at Otjomotjira village in the Omatendeka Conservancy have not been exposed to the outside world and hardly any development has reached them.Nobody at the village has ever been to school.Vazua Musutua, the village spokesperson, says one of the main challenges the village community faces is that the nearest clinic, shop and primary school is about three days’ walk from the village.This makes it extremely difficult for the villagers to benefit from public services such as education and healthcare.No mobile clinic visits the village, and one of the Ovahimba women who is approximately eight months pregnant says she is unable to see a doctor for pre-natal checkups.According to Musutua none of the villagers have identity cards and they are not aware that they can get primary education at a subsidised rate at Government schools. Musutua says they are experiencing hard times, as a lack of rainfall and water in the area has meant that their cattle do not produce enough milk.He also complains that lions, leopards and elephants pose a constant threat not only to their survival, but also to their livestock. Their animals are regularly killed by predators and the processing of compensation claims from the conservancy takes a long time.Asked how many cattle the village has, Musutua guesses about ten, but adds that he cannot be sure because neither he nor the other Ovahimba men at the village can count.The Ovahimba are an ethnic group of about 50 000 people who live a nomadic life and are dependent on cattle, goats, other livestock, maize and veld food.They are a marginalised group who live a traditional lifestyle in the Kunene Region in northern Namibia, largely isolated from modern society.The Namibian tried to contact the Kunene Regional Council for comment on the living conditions at Otjomotjira village, but it could not be reached.

In an age of information overload, Sunrise is The Namibian’s morning briefing, delivered at 6h00 from Monday to Friday. It offers a curated rundown of the most important stories from the past 24 hours – occasionally with a light, witty touch. It’s an essential way to stay informed. Subscribe and join our newsletter community.

The Namibian uses AI tools to assist with improved quality, accuracy and efficiency, while maintaining editorial oversight and journalistic integrity.