Stefanus Nashama
The Governor of the Otjozondjupa Region, James Uerikua, will initiate procedures to investigate the dispute over land ownership at Okamuru Farm located in the Omatako constituency near Waterberg.
This follows a situation where the owner of the farm, Joachim Rust, threatened to demolish the houses of the fifth generation of descendants of farmworkers residing on the farm.
According to reports, Rust plans to evict the descendants and sell the farm to a German national for use as a game reserve or lodge.
The initial eviction notice was given in 2019.
Speaking to the Windhoek Observer on Wednesday, Uerikua said he was unaware of the matter until the Omatako constituency councillor, Israel Hukura, informed him about it on Tuesday morning.
“My office did not receive anything of that nature. I was only informed by the councillor today. I have no knowledge about the matter. I do not know much about what is happening there,” said the governor.
He promised to delve deeper into the matter and consult the relevant authorities to resolve the dispute.
Uerikua emphasised that the issue of land is a significant challenge that requires a solution from all aspects, including the government and the Constitution of Namibia.
“The issue of ancestral land involves constitutional and legal protections for landowners. Sometimes, landowners take matters into their own hands to evict descendants or deny land to people,” he said.
All these matters will be discussed thoroughly after understanding both sides of the issue, he added.
Gotti Riruako, who also hails from Okamuru Farm, recently asserted that the entire area around Waterberg is a site of genocide.
The Waterberg area, according to him, contains the graves of great warriors.
“They are our ancestors, whose land others claim to have bought. Greats like Hevita, Kamatoto, Mukuruuee, Mbaurua, and the great explorer Tjiponda wa Kamarenga were murdered and buried at Ovitombo,” he said.
He said that the region has some of the country’s finest cattle grazing fields and significant tourism potential.
“Don’t provoke us; we are in a peaceful country, nothing lasts forever, know that! The farm you are claiming to have bought is stolen land and will remain stolen land. You call that place ‘Okosongominya’; that shows that it is stolen land; the place is called Okozongominja,” said Riruako.
George Ampweya, whose parents still live on the farm, brought up the same issue on behalf of the descendants in 2022, but it went unanswered.
He explained that their parents and grandparents were employed by the Schneider-Waterberg family on Farm Okosongominya, next to the Waterberg Conservancy.
He said that the new arrangement would exclude the descendants of farm workers.
“Ironically, some, if not all, of us were born on these farms, and our children were also born there. As of late, there has been extensive fencing taking place and strict control of movement in and out of the farm, all with the ultimate intent and purpose of barring us from visiting our parents, grandparents, and children who are currently residing on Okamuru,” he said.
He added that there are 300 people residing on the farm and called on the government and the Schneider-Waterberg family to find an effective solution to the matter.
In 2022 the Popular Democratic Movement leader, McHenry Venaani also visited the farm and called for a dialogue between generational farm workers, the Kavetuna family, the farm owner and the government to find a lasting solution to the matter.
At the time he said there is no need for Namibia to be turned into what happened in Zimbabwe.
“Generational farm workers should be very sensitive to the question of land. But it is very painful to see that these families that have settled here for more than 80 years, working for the Schneider-Waterberg family are not supposed to leave this farm and the government has no plan to address the question of ancestral land or to settle these people anywhere,” he said.
On Tuesday, Councillor Hukura informed this publication that he received a call from community members that a farm owner wanted to destroy one of the houses, leading to a conflict between him and the residents.
He alerted the regional police commander, who sent officers to the farm.
Hukura disclosed that there had been an ongoing issue with the farm owner, who wanted to relocate the residents some years ago.
The Namibia National Farmers Union (NNFU) says it does not deal with farmland ownership.
