Meatco has appointed Thimoteus Kativa as the substantive CEO of its Northern Communal Area (NCA) subsidiary, Meatco NCA, headquartered in Rundu, Kavango East. 

Kativa’s appointment is effective from 1 May 2026, and is a five-year fixed-term contract. 

He previously served as manager for livestock procurement within the NCA subsidiary. 

He brings extensive experience and in-depth knowledge of Namibia’s agricultural sector, particularly within the Northern Communal Areas. 

Kativa served as a board member of the Namibia National Farmers Union (NNFU) from 2017 to 2023, and is currently an executive member of the Kavango East Regional Farmers Union, a position he has held since 2017. 

Speaking on his appointment, he said: “I am deeply honoured by the confidence placed in me to lead the Meatco NCA Subsidiary at this important time. My focus will be on strengthening stakeholder confidence, stabilising operations and working collaboratively with producers, employees, clients and partners to support the long-term sustainability of the business”. 

Meanwhile, Meatco’s interim CEO Albertus Aochamub welcomed Kativa’s appointment jovially. 

“The entire Meatco Group leadership congratulates Mr Kativa on his appointment. We are confident that he will drive the strategic objectives of the NCA Subsidiary in alignment with Meatco’s broader mandate of building a profitable, sustainable and producer-centred business,” he remarked. 

Aochamub noted that the appointment comes at an important operational transition period for the subsidiary. 

“On 10 April 2021, Meatco NCA entered into a Memorandum of Agreement with the Zambezi Abattoir and Meat Processing Company (ZAMCO) to operationalise and stabilise the Katima Mulilo Abattoir after ZAMCO, which had initially been awarded the lease to operate the facility, encountering challenges in fully operationalising the abattoir. Over the past five years, Meatco NCA has played an important role in maintaining operations, supporting producers and sustaining market access within the region.” 

He added that following the notice by ZAMCO to terminate the Memorandum of Agreement with Meatco, which expired on 15 April 2026, the parties are currently implementing a structured transitional handover process for the Katima Mulilo Abattoir by the end of June 2026. 

“Mr Kativa’s appointment therefore comes at a critical time as the subsidiary continues to strengthen operations and manage key strategic transitions within the Northern Communal Area. He possesses a strong understanding of agribusiness operations, the livestock and red meat value chain, as well as the dynamics affecting communal farming communities,” he said. 

Kativa holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the Eastern and Southern Africa Management Institute (ESAMI) in 2023, a Bachelor of Agricultural Management from the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) in 2016, and a National Diploma in Agriculture obtained from Neudamm Agricultural College in 2002. 

Mandate 

Meatco NCA is a subsidiary of the Meat Corporation of Namibia (Meatco), established in 2021 to strengthen Meatco’s footprint and strategic mandate within Namibia’s Northern Communal Area (NCA). 

The subsidiary operates under its own board of directors within the broader Meatco Group governance framework. 

It works closely with producers, government and industry stakeholders to advance inclusive participation in Namibia’s red meat value chain. 

Meatco NCA manages the Rundu, Eenhana, Outapi and Katima Mulilo Abattoirs, as well as the soon to be commissioned meat-processing plant in Ongwediva. 

-ohembapu@nepc.com.na