A family of 38 in the Oshikoto region is at the verge of losing their mahangu field after the local village headman allegedly decided to grab a piece of their land. It is alleged that the headman of Onampadhi, Thomas Gerhard Ndadala, decided to relieve the children of the late Johannes Sebron Kanyanda of their father’s mahangu
field. 

According to one of the daughters, Petrina Tutumina Johannes, the Ondonga traditional authority passed a resolution two weeks ago, supporting Ndadala’s ownership and revoking the ownership of the land that initially belonged to Kanyanda, who died 23 years ago. 

The family has since been given a notice not to make use of that land once they harvest their current yield. “When our father (Kanyanda) passed away in May 1999, the homestead and the mahangu field was registered in our nephew’s name, but we all continued to live there. Unfortunately, Samuel Uugwanga (nephew) also passed away in 2017,” explained Johannes. Uugwanga’s widow allegedly told the family in the presence of the village headman that she was not interested in the village homestead and its mahangu field. She handed over everything to her late husband’s family. “It was then decided that the house should be registered in the name of our elder sister, Loide Kanyanda. 

The family thought that the headman was in support of the decision. He did not object or raise a concern regarding the decisions taken during the family meeting that was held after the death of Uugwanga,” she stated. However, things took an interesting turn after their sister started with the application process to have the house and the mahangu field transferred into her name. She said the headman has been refusing to give her the ownership documents of both the house and the field, which is known in the village as Eputu lyaKanyanda. She was only allowed to register the homestead, and not the mahangu field. The family has been cultivating that mahangu field for the past five years since there were no ownership documents. 

“We understand that the headman wants a clinic, police station and kindergarten constructed on our field. This decision was taken by Ndadala alone, without consulting our family,” continued Johannes. “My sister and our children depend on this field. It is their only source of food. They do not have any other field. How will they survive if this is taken away from them? Life is already hard for some of us who have jobs, but how more about those who are unemployed? This small piece of land is the only property that my sister, nephew and nieces have”, she lamented. Johannes yesterday wrote an appeal letter to king Fillemon Shuumbwa Nangolo to call for another meeting. Ndadala commented that he revoked the ownership, guided by the rules and regulations of the Ondonga traditional authority. 

“If the crop field remains idle for more than three years, the traditional authority will take the land from you. They did not work on their field for more than 20 years or more, they only started cultivating about five or six years ago,” he added. Ndadala said the people who are now complaining do not have rights to that land. 

“If it was the children of the late Uugwanga or the wife who were complaining, then it is understandable. The wife gave the field to the traditional authority, in my hands,” he stated.

- vkaapanda@nepc.com.na

(Onampadhi) Not interested… Loide Kanyanda, who was given the house.

Photo: Contributed