Julia Kamarenga

Farmers in the Kalahari constituency of the Omaheke region called on the police officers to clean up to gain respect from the community. 

The farmers said this during a farmers’ engagement day, which was aimed at addressing their concerns and agree on solutions that would propel the constituency to the next level.

The majority of the farmers complained about the way police officers attend to complaints, conduct investigations and handle reported cases, and accused some officers to be part of the lawbreakers.

The farmers say police officers are not being respectful towards the community and that they deal with them as though they are dealing with senseless people.

“I reported a case about people who intruded my farm but I later learned that those people opened a case against me, stating that I threatened them with a gun that I had and to my surprise, they got an upper hand and as we speak, the case was struck off the roll,” narrated a frustrated farmer.

The farmers are thus calling for an investigation among the officers with the intention of rooting out the rotten ones who may be conniving with the lawbreakers.

Speaking at the event, Deputy Inspector for Operations of the Namibian Police, Joseph Shikongo assured the farmers that a cleanup among the force is long overdue. He urged his staff members to do away with excuses such as that of not having transport to attend to calls. 

Shikongo said any available vehicle from any division should be used when the need arises.

Another challenge that they expressed is that of the prolonged arrival of the officers at crime scenes.

Wildfires, stock theft, community policing and neighbourhood watch were some of the subjects discussed during the farmers’ engagement day.

The farmers were advised to revive their neighbourhood and community police structures to help curb the surging crimes, which are crumbling farming activities in the area. 

*Julia Kamarenga is an Information Officer in the MICT.