The King Nehale conservancy and Omuthiya Town Council are at loggerheads fighting for the ownership of the Othithiya water springs recreational area situated on the outskirts of Omuthiya.
The conservancy, situated north of Etosha National Park and covering approximately 43 000 hectares, is involved in various conservation and tourism initiatives.
The conservancy has a joint venture partnership with Gondwana Collection for the Etosha King Nehale Lodge, which provides training, skills development and employment for local residents.
King Nehale conservancy representative Martin Elago says the area surrounding the Othithiya natural water springs solely belongs to the King Nehale conservancy and it retains all rights to reserve it.
He says the conservancy is against the development of the area because the wildlife’s survival will be largely affected as the water springs serve as a drinking hole for wildlife in Etosha National Park.
“As a conservancy, we are really disturbed by the plans of the Omuthiya Town Council to develop the Othithiya natural water springs into a recreational park because our wildlife in Etosha drink from that area and if they develop the area, our wildlife will have nowhere to drink from.
The Othithiya natural water springs is where you will find most wildlife drinking water from.
That area falls under the King Nehale conservancy and no one has rights to claim it, not even the town council. If anyone wants to develop that area, they need to get consent from us, the conservancy,” he says.
Elago adds that the King Nehale conservancy retains ownership of the majority of the land on the northern border of Etosha National Park, hence no individual or entity has the right to claim ownership of that land.
“If you bring development to that area, the conservancy will suffer great damage because the animals will have nowhere to drink. It will disturb their natural habitat.
Therefore, I call on the Ministry of Environment and Tourism to coordinate a roundtable discussion with the representatives from the King Nehale conservancy and the Omuthiya Town Council to reach an amicable solution to this whole thing.
As a conservancy, we believe that the Othithiya natural water springs belongs or rather falls under the ownership of the King Nehale conservancy,” he says.
The natural spring are about 10km from Omuthiya, on the gravel road leading to Etosha National Park.
The Omuthiya Town Council plans to construct residential and business plots around the Othithiya area, including properties such as a hotel, water park, nine-hole golf course and golf estate, recreational braai area, camp and heritage site, lodge establishments and urban agricultural land.
However, such developments are currently on a standstill as part of the Othithiya area falls under the King Nehale conservancy.
Omuthiya Town Council chief executive Martin Shuuya has declined to comment on the matter.
“I cannot talk at the moment, call me some other time,” he said.
Minister of environment and tourism Indileni Daniel, when informed of the dispute between King Nehale conservancy and the Omuthiya Town Council, promised to address the matter at a later stage.
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