Stefanus Nashama
A dispute between a farm owner and some community members of the Omatako constituency reportedly erupted on Tuesday morning after a farm owner threatened to destroy one of the houses where some community members live.
The incident happened at the Okamuru farm in the Omatako constituency in the Otjozondjupa Region, home to more than ten families.
In an attempt to cool down the disorderly situation, a community leader, who is only known by the name Muva at this stage, informed the councillor, who alerted the police immediately.
Attempts to get comments from the community leader were unsuccessful at the time of publication.
Speaking to the Windhoek Observer on the matter, the Omatako constituency councillor, Israel Hukura, said he received a call from members of the community that a farm owner, by the name of Joachim Rust, wanted to destroy one of the houses, leading to a conflict between him and the residents.
Hukura said he alerted the regional police commander, who sent police officers to the farm.
“This morning, I received a call from a community leader who informed me that the farm owner wanted to destroy the house. I called the police immediately, and police officers were sent to the scene,” he said.
Although he was not able to describe the nature of the dispute, Hukura told this publication that there had been an ongoing issue about the farm owner, who wanted to relocate the residents some years ago.
“This whole thing has been there for some time. My office has received reports on the matter. It was also received by the office of the governor,” he disclosed.
He claimed to have taken pictures and videos during the incidents, but he has not yet received them.
According to Hukura, there are about ten houses on the Okamuru farm, and each house has a family with children and grandchildren.
The Otjozondupa police regional commander, Commissioner Heinrich Tjiveze, confirmed the incident on Tuesday.
He, however, did not establish the cause of the conflict at the time.
“Yes, we received a report that there was a dispute between a farm owner and some community members located on that particular farm. I sent police officers to go to the scene and see what is happening,” said Tjiveze.
He said he does not know whether people are employed to work there or if they are residents, adding that he was still waiting for the police officer to report back for him to provide accurate information on the matter.
“My members are yet to report back, and once they do, I will be able to give accurate information on the matter. All I can say is that members of the police were sent to the farm, and I am still waiting to hear from them,” he mentioned.
George Ampweya, a resident of Okamuru Farm, expressed his dismay and satisfaction with the treatment of farm workers by the farm owner’s son in a letter to James Uerikua in December 2022.
In a letter titled “Okamuru farm force removal,” Ampweya stated that the farm owner informed the descendants of the families employed at the farm for over five generations that he would sell the farm to a buyer of German origin.
The buyer would then turn the farm into a game reserve, ensuring strict accommodation for the descendants of the workers.
Ampweya sought the governor’s intervention on the matter.
Uerikua did not answer several phone calls that were made to him.
