Windhoek
Members of the Zambezi Communal Land Board (ZCLB) have demanded an apology from Mafwe Chief George Simasiku Mamili who allegedly lost his temper over land. He also allegedly threatened to manhandle ZCLB members at his khuta after he accused the board of practising tribalism in dealing with land matters.
This follows an incident which occurred at a meeting convened at Mamili’s khuta at Chincimani on April 15 regarding Sikanjabuka – an ethnic powderkeg that has in the past sparked tribal tensions in the Zambezi Region because both Mamili and his subjects insist it falls under his jurisdiction. On the other hand Chief Kisco Liswani III of the Masubia and his khuta vehemently dispute Mamili’s claim saying Sikanjabuka has since time immemorial been under the jurisdiction of the Bukalo khuta.
Sikanjabuka is surrounded by fertile farmland and is close to one of the fishing camps that have arguably one of the best fish reserves in the Zambezi Region. It is not difficult to find villagers with an ethnic allegiance split between the two contending khutas.
The protracted tribal boundary dispute between the two tribes is yet to be resolved much to the frustration of the two khutas that want the issue to be resolved, but this issue will depend on which khuta has stronger documentary evidence to support its stake on the sleepy village of Sikanjabuka.
The meeting at Chinchimani was purportedly aimed to allow Sikanjabuka residents to express their land dispute grievances for the ZCLB to respond.
Sikanjabuka residents accused ZCLB officials of siding with the Masubia Traditional Authority by allegedly issuing land certificates to Masubia subjects for “land that does not belong to them”.
The meeting is said to have been so heated that at one stage the incumbent Chief Mamili stood up wanting to attack ZCLB officials, but he was restrained from doing so by his ngambela (second in command), and a team of indunas (traditional councillors) begged him to suppress his anger.
New Era is in possesion of documents written by members of the ZCLB, namely its chairperson Regina Ndopu-Lubinda and Charles Musiyalike, who is a deputy director of land reform in the Zambezi and is also a member of the ZCLB. The one letter dated April 17, 2015 is addressed to the Minister of Land Reform, Utoni Nujoma, and it gives a detailed account of what transpired during the heated meeting.
Mary Kabuku, the senior development planner in the land reform ministry as well as the ZCLB secretary were present when the Chinchimani meeting nearly resulted in the chief reportedly threatening to assault the ZCLB officials because of what he alleges as their bias in favour of Chief Liswani III.
The government officials were reportedly summoned and received a tongue-lashing from the chief in the presence of his ngambela, indunas and over 20 of his subjects at his traditional headquarters of Chincimani.
“He then asked the Sikanjabuka residents the following questions: ‘Which government was treating them well, the colonial government or the new independent government?’ The response from the residents was that the former colonial government treated them well. He further asked them ‘who is mistreating you, the Masubias or the current colonial government?’ The response was the Masubias,” the letter further states.
According to the letter, having heard the reponses, the chief then concurred with his subjects saying “the Ministry of Land Reform is just a ministry for the Masubia.”
He apparently singled out Ndopu-Lubinda and Masiyalike and said, “They are just in office to advance the interests of the Masubia Traditional Authority.”
He further alleged “our offices were being used to get land from the Mafwe to take to the Masubia or expand the Masubia territory” – the letter reads.
In their complaint the duo noted the chief continued with his tirades and threats demanding that they give him answers or else they would not be allowed to leave the khuta.
“He threatened that we will not leave the meeting until we had responded to his questions. He requested all women to move out as he wanted to deal with us. At this point, the ngambela and natamoyo begged him to calm down,” reads the letter.
Musialike allegedly requested that they leave as the atmosphere seemed tense, and the chief became agitated and stood up moving towards the two.
“The chief stood up and pushed his table to move towards us, seemingly we were under the impression he wanted to attack us. The ngambela, natamoyo (adviser to the chief) and indunas knelt down begging and intervening on our behalf. They requested us to leave immediately. We left the room leaving the chief standing,” stated the letter.
However, Patrick Likukela, the ngambela of the Mafwe Tradtional Authority sprang to the defence of his superior the chief and refuted the claims by the land board as false.
“Those reports are not true. The chief did not want to attack anyone. Those are propaganda and they want the government to think the chief is bad,” Ngambela Likukela responded to New Era.
At the centre of the tribal wrangle is Sikanjabuka a fertile piece of land about ten kilometres south-east of Bukalo. The matter is still before the courts. The two tribes have all laid claim to the vast area which stretches a further 20 kilometres southwards up to Muyako, another village in the area having been allocated to the Masubia Traditional Authority in 2007 following a recommendation of the council of traditional leaders. The area is inhabited by subjects of both traditional authorities.
The same village (Sikanjabuka) ruffled feathers in 2008 with a physical confrontation that ensued between the two tribes following the contruction of a sub-khuta (traditional court) in the area by the Masubia community. The confrontation resulted in injuries and arrests.
The letter was also copied to the Zambezi Regional Governor Lawrence Sampofu and Minister of Urban and Rural Development Sophia Shaningwa.
Sampofu yesterday however said he was still studying the report of complaints and would take the issue to the chief’s forum for attention before he can make any official comment.
Both Nujoma and Shaningwa were not available for comment yesterday by the time of going to press.