KATIMA MULILO – The long-running dispute over Hippo Lodge has taken another twist after the Kwala family of Ishubu village, on the banks of the Zambezi River, rejected any plans to compensate the lodge’s former investors, insisting that the land belongs to them and that no outsider has the right to claim ownership.
The matter came to light following a tripartite meeting chaired by former Zambezi regional governor, Lawrence Sampofu, between the Namibia Defence Force (NDF), the Kwala family, and Hippo Lodge investors Gunter and Beatie Schwippert. The agenda focused on possible compensation for the couple, who had established structures on the property.
At present, the NDF has taken over the property to develop a naval military facility. The lodge owners have since vacated the premises, which are now being guarded by the military.
Background
The land was initially owned by Judah Kwala Sakutiya, who, between 1970 and 1990, permitted the South African Defence Force (SADF) to temporarily set up a base there. After independence in 1990, when the South African army vacated the site, Sakutiya allowed Henry Opermann to run Hippo Lodge. Two more investors, including Opermann’s relatives, managed the lodge until 2017, when a couple who could not be mentioned took over. They were allegedly clearly instructed by the Sakutiya family not to erect permanent structures on the land. However, in 2022, the NDF paid out the couple and moved in, claiming the site was SADF property and therefore by default belonged to the NDF. The couple was allegedly compensated for the structures they had erected on the land.
Family position
In a strongly worded letter addressed to the Ministry of Defence and Veterans’ Affairs, dated 20 March 2023, family representative Dobson Kwala stated that the family “distances itself from all arrangements of paying the couple who illegally erected structures on Hippo Lodge.”
The family argues that the couple began operating without a leasehold certificate, ignoring warnings from the ministry of lands in the Zambezi region. Despite being cautioned, they allegedly proceeded with business activities. “The investors are, by law, illegal on the premises and can’t be compensated by any government ministry,” the letter reads.
The family now questions why the NDF would consider compensating the investors. “Why should NDF compensate the white investors that they didn’t enter into an agreement with? Where has the NDF been since the independence of Namibia to claim Hippo Lodge today?” the family queried.
Demands
Instead, the Kwala family says their interest lies in negotiating directly with the NDF. They demand employment opportunities during and after the construction of any military facility. They also call for community infrastructure development, including roads, electricity, and water. Student bursary support and financial compensation for the family, due to the loss of land use for the next 99 years, are also among their demands.
The Kwala lineage further seeks clarity on the exact boundaries of the claimed land, including the famous Namwi Island, which they currently use for tourism.
According to the Valuer-General’s reports, the first valuation in 2018 placed the lodge’s assets at N$1.6 million, while an October 2022 reassessment put the value at N$13 million. The family claims this increase was due to the investors ignoring official advice not to proceed without legal documentation.
Contacted for comment, defence ministry spokesperson Petrus Shilumbu said: “The ministry will study the letter and respond at an appropriate time. Kindly give us time to also check our records.”
As the dispute drags on, the Kwala family insists that only they, as custodians of the land, can decide its future use — and that the government must formally engage them before making any commitments regarding Hippo Lodge.
-anakale@nepc.com.na