By Mbatjiua Ngavirue
WINDHOEK
Accusations of a lack of transparency, accountability and even corruption continue to dog the Land Resettlement Programme, particularly in the Omaheke Region.
The Land Reform Advisory Commission allocated a number of farms, divided into resettlement units, to beneficiaries in the region recently.
Numerous inquiries have failed to establish exactly how many farms and farming units the commission allocated.
The most bitter complaint in the region, however, is that members of the public are simply kept in the dark about what farms were allocated to whom, and why.
The Ministry of Lands, Resettlement and Rehabilitation – as it then called itself – used to publish full-page advertisements in the media announcing the beneficia-ries of resettlement farms up to 2002.
Sources in the region complain about regression in the resettlement scheme, saying it has taken a step backward in terms of transparency and accountability.
They allege the authorities stealthily dole out valuable national assets under cover of darkness or in secrecy.
The ongoing gripe is that a disproportionate number of the lucky recipients receive allocations based on political influence peddling – not need.
Local residents allege secrecy and underhand dealing in resettlement farms are so endemic in the system that it has become virtually impossible to untangle the alleged shady allocations.
Furthermore, disgruntled residents suggest the abrupt decision to stop publicly announcing the names of resettlement farm recipients, forms part of a deliberate policy to conceal irregularities.
Omaheke is currently swirling with rumours about resettlement farms allocated to two relatives of the Director of Planning at the Omaheke Regional Council, Pederius Tjihoreko.
Because of the secrecy surrounding the resettlement process, it has proved virtually impossible to either confirm or refute the allegations against Tjihoreko.
According some reports it is a brother and a son of Tjihoreko, who were respectively allocated resettlement farms – with the son allocated a unit on the farm Kanaan.
In another version a female relative of Tjihoreko, whose CD he allegedly launched on NBC’s Otjiherero radio service recently, supposedly received a farm.
The objection raised to the allocations, is that whatever the relationship of these people to Tjihoreko, they are merely acting as fronts for the powerful official.
Local sources report that the individuals concerned own no livestock of their own, nor do they have any financial means.
People allegedly personally saw Tjihoreko rehabilitating the borehole at one of these farms himself.
Tjihoreko himself a beneficiary of the Government’s resettlement scheme, was resettled on Verlang Farm in the Witvlei area a few years ago.
According to several sources, Tjihoreko allegedly serves on the Regional Settlement Committee for Omaheke in one or other capacity.
On Monday, he vehemently denied the allegations against him, saying they were “not true” and that people should get their facts right before making accusations.
The murky manner in which the Ministry of Lands conducts the resettlement process, however, makes it impossible for anyone to get the facts straight.
“It’s against my principles to comment in the newspapers. The chairperson of the settlement committee is the right person to comment. I’m not the one who allocates resettlement farms,” he said.
The alleged allocation of a resettlement farm to Swapo Regional Co-ordinator Festus Ueitele’s sister Frieda Shimakeleni has also raised eyebrows because of persistent rumours of political influence peddling.
The Ueiteles are a blessed family in Omaheke, with sister Frieda employed as human resources manager and another brother also holding a well-paid position at the Gobabis municipality.
The Ministry of Lands and Resettlement granted Isak Ueitele a resettlement unit on Kaukurus Farm in March 2002.
Following speculation in the media in early March this year, Festus Ueitele had to deny rumours the settlement committee allocated either him or his wife resettlement farms.