KATIMA MULILO – The dilapidated state of the two state-owned quarantine facilities in Katima Mulilo troubles Zambezi governor Lawrence Sampofu.
He made these remarks during a meeting with the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Economics and Public Administration on Tuesday.
The committee visited the region to meet with relevant stakeholders in connection with the Lisha Empowerment and Development Organisation’s November 2022 petition to Parliament on the need to revive the market for livestock in Namibia’s Northern Communal Areas (NCAs).
During a meeting with the committee, Sampofu informed them that the state of two quarantine facilities, namely Kopano and Katima, is worrisome. While Kopano quarantine situated about 40 kilometres west of Katima Mulilo is partly-operational, the Katima Mulilo quarantine is completely dilapidated, and cannot be utilised.
“We hear that South Africa might come and check on our quarantines, to come and check on our meat, and how safe it is. Our areas are prone to foot-and- mouth disease. If they find that our quarantines are not in good condition, we might be thrown from this market,” he stated.
State veterinarian Beatrice Shikongo revealed during a stakeholders’ engagement with the committee that Katima Mulilo quarantine, which has seven camps on a land of 8 000 hectares, has not been used since 2014.
“The quarantine has been vandalised over the years. There are a lot of police cases that we have reported,” she stated.
On Kopano quarantine, measuring 13 000 hectares with 12 camps, Shikongo said only camps one to nine are in use.
“From camp 10 to camp 12, there is no water provision. There is also continuous vandalism happening in the quarantine, especially in Camp 12 which is along the Namibia-Zambia border. Now and then we fix the fence. After a week of inspection, we will find the fence is cut again,” added Shikongo.
Adding to that, people usually cut the fence to gain entry into the quarantine to illegally harvest timber. Shikongo said the region compiled a comprehensive report on the state of quarantines in the region, which they submitted to the relevant offices to be considered when funds are available.
Kopano quarantine is an asset, as it serves the whole Zambezi region and part of Mukwe constituency in the Kavango East region. This year alone, from January to April, 690 cattle were quarantined at Kopano and later slaughtered at Katima Mulilo abattoir. Currently, there are 940 cattle in quarantine waiting to be slaughtered.
* Aron Mushaukwa is an MICT Information Officer in Zamzezi