Lands Minister visits Mangetti area

THE Minister of Lands and Resettlement, Jerry Ekandjo, is in the Kavango Region where he is expected to visit the Mangetti area, Kavango Governor John Thighuru told The Namibian yesterday.

According to Thighuru, the Minister is only visiting the Mangetti area. However, Thighuru said the Minister might also discuss the issue of Oshiwambo-speaking farmers defying eviction orders to remove their cattle from western Kavango.”I am going to see Comrade Minister, but I am not going to discuss the cattle issue with him, and if he might come up with the issue, I will advise the Honourable Minister to speak about this with the Kavango Communal Land Board, since this issue is now in the hands of the said Land Board,” said Thighuru.The Namibian has learnt from reliable sources that the Ministry of Lands plans to survey farms in the Mangetti areas of Kavango and former Owambo.There is a strong possibility that the Mangetti area will be re-demarcated into smaller farms in order to accommodate more farmers.The Oukwanyama and Ondonga traditional authorities have called on farmers in their areas to register their farms as soon as possible with their Communal Land Boards.A source from the Ondonga traditional authority told The Namibian that the surveying of farms and grazing areas in the eastern parts of the Ondonga and Oukwanyama tribal areas and in western Kavango would pave the way for making space in the former Owambo for the farmers evicted from Kavango.However, Thighuru said the Minister might also discuss the issue of Oshiwambo-speaking farmers defying eviction orders to remove their cattle from western Kavango.”I am going to see Comrade Minister, but I am not going to discuss the cattle issue with him, and if he might come up with the issue, I will advise the Honourable Minister to speak about this with the Kavango Communal Land Board, since this issue is now in the hands of the said Land Board,” said Thighuru.The Namibian has learnt from reliable sources that the Ministry of Lands plans to survey farms in the Mangetti areas of Kavango and former Owambo.There is a strong possibility that the Mangetti area will be re-demarcated into smaller farms in order to accommodate more farmers.The Oukwanyama and Ondonga traditional authorities have called on farmers in their areas to register their farms as soon as possible with their Communal Land Boards.A source from the Ondonga traditional authority told The Namibian that the surveying of farms and grazing areas in the eastern parts of the Ondonga and Oukwanyama tribal areas and in western Kavango would pave the way for making space in the former Owambo for the farmers evicted from Kavango.