Registration of plots slow in Kunene

THE Ministry of Lands and Resettlement at Opuwo has called on the inhabitants of the Kunene Region to register their existing plots and homesteads in the communal area.

Robert Kavetu, an employee of the Ministry of Lands and Resettlement, made the call during an interview with Nampa at Opuwo on Wednesday.Kavetu said the people of the Kunene Region, mostly the residents of Kunene North (former Kaokoland), are still reluctant to register their plots and households with the ministry, adding that their refusal to cooperate is receiving the backing of Otjikaoko Traditional Authority.The Ministry of Lands and Resettlement has extended the registration period from 2009 to 2012 to enable the people to register their existing homesteads, plots and fields.The first registration period was initially from 2003 to 2006, but it was extended from 2006 to 2009. Very few people have registered their plots in Kunene North compared to those that have done so in Kunene South. According to Kavetu, the people of Kunene North have been inundating his office with questions that are not relevant with the ministry’s registration process.’People come here asking for information about the areas of jurisdiction of the traditional leadership, and about geographical boundaries. These issues are not part of our mandate. People are confusing ministries because some are even coming here asking for special treatment to get resettled due to their disability status,’ said Kavetu.Nampa visited the office of the Otjikaoko Traditional Authority to enquire about the allegation of the office backing and influencing the community not to register their lands with government.The Secretary of Otjikaoko Traditional Authority, Elisabeth Mukuma told Nampa that the community wrote a letter to the traditional authority instructing them not to give permission for people to register their plots of land. ‘The Traditional Authority is representing the community and if the community is not happy about anything, we cannot force the community to participate in it,’ said Mukuma.She said the community of Okaoko (Kunene North) does not understand the reasons behind the registration and needs to be better informed before they can start participating in the process.Mukuma called on the government to launch information campaigns about the importance of the registration process so that the community can participate. – Nampa