ONGWEDIVA – An aggrieved family claim it is forcefully being evicted from their land without compensation in order to pave way for the construction of sport facilities at Amarika.
Amarika is a village situated in Otamanzi constituency in the Omusati region.
The family says they have no objection with development in the area, but only wants government to compensate them fairly.
“I am being moved to a bushy area. Who is going to help me clear that land? I am unemployed and I do not have money to pay anyone to help me,” said plot owner Joshua Uusiku.
The family has been staying on the plot for the last 18 years, which was rightfully allocated to them by the then traditional leadership and has a lease agreement to that effect.
Uusiku said when he initially occupied the land in 2001, there was nothing on the plot and had to clear it because it was bushy, however, suddenly he is being informed that he settled on land previously allocated to the school.
He said that he was informed that this should have been his last year to cultivate on the land, but worries what he will feed his family next year.
He lives with nine children and a wife.
Despite several attempts to have him sign papers that he has agreed to relocate, Uusiku said he has refused to sign citing that he is scared that they will be used against him.
He claims that he has never met any officials from the land ministry and has only been informed by the village traditional leadership of his vacation without compensation.
New Era is reliably informed that the compensation guideline and the improvement made on the land as stipulated in the Compensation Act applies to all citizens irrespective of their locality.
The headman at the village could not be reached for comment.
The Deputy Director of Land in Omusati region Rose-Marry Kashululu said she was not aware of the situation and advised the affected party to liaise with her office.