2023-08-18Albertina Nakale KATIMA MULILO - The Zambezi region’s political leadership has expressed grave concern over the increased foreign ownership of establishments within the hospitality industry in the region. As it stands, foreigners and large enterprises own a majority stake in conservancies along the Zambezi River, leaving local participation weak or imaginary. Katima Mulilo Urban constituency councillor Kennedy Simasiku said although they welcome foreign investment within the tourism industry, such investment must not come at the expense or abuse of locals. “These lodges are owned by foreigners, especially Italians. Let me just say Europeans for that matter. They come here and open these lodges. They have 100% ownership, and they pay minimal annual rental fees. In some instances, they pay N$50 000 or N$60 000 per annum. It is unacceptable, honourable governor,” said Simasiku as he addressed Zambezi governor Lawrence Sampofu during his recent state of the region address. In this region, tourism plays a key role in the design of community-based natural resources management (CBNRM) programmes for nature conservation.Local communities form conservancies, small village-based entities of bottom-up nature conservation activities. These conservancies are granted rights for the use of natural resources, which are then transferred to tourism investors and trophy-hunting companies.Simasiku called upon the governor to engage the environment ministry so that they can come up with a mutually-beneficial policy to ensure that when foreigners open lodges, there is some partnership entered into with the locals.In response, Sampofu said he is glad the councillor raised the issue while the ngambelas [prime ministers] of the four recognised traditional authorities were present during the regional address as they are the custodians of the land. “Our ngambelas are the people responsible for the land. These people come and ask for the land to put up a lodge. We have conservancies in place, which should enter into a memorandum of understanding with such lodges in order to have that land. In areas where there are no conservancies, it is purely under the traditional authorities. Those are people who give the land. As we know, our constitution says the land is under the custodianship of traditional authorities,” he added.Sampofu recommended that investors must work with traditional authorities so that they become shareholders in land ownership. “It is their land. This is the only way we can involve our people to participate in joint ventures with the lodges,” he noted. He said sadly, there are labour issues that are taking place within lodges and houseboats.Sampofu stressed that the lodge owners do not respect Namibia’s labour laws, as they mistreat their workers. “They do whatever they want. This should not be the case. They must respect the laws of this country. If anything happens, labour inspectors should investigate whatever labour issue is happening at that particular business anywhere in this country,” said the governor. One such labour issue he mentioned is the tension at Ntwala Lodge at Impalila. “Last week, there were labour issues at that lodge. They managed to kick the manager out of the country,” said Sampofu..He, however, cautioned that locals should handle labour issues with caution, as it could have adverse effects on tourism. “If we just treat people like that, they won’t come to Namibia. This is also a tourism area. They are going to write that we are kicking them off without anything. Conservancies should report to the traditional authorities and regional council on what is really happening on the ground within these lodges so that we ease the situation, and not damage our region when it comes to tourism,” he advised. When approached, the four Ngambelas could not provide any comment, citing procedures to be followed, such as getting consent from their chiefs to make public statements.Labour issuesA local tour guide who was born and bred alongside the Zambezi River, Dobson Kwala, himself has labour issues with some investors. He blamed traditional authorities and the regional council for challenges currently within the tourism sector, arguing that they are the prime allocators of land and administrators of investment in the region. “Challenges faced by the community today are coming a long way. I faced or still have unresolved disputes with Hippo Lodge and Caprivi Houseboat Safari Lodge investors due to the traditional authority’s involvement and the Zambezi regional council, who support and don’t intervene in solving reported cases,” said Kwala. He said the Caprivi Houseboat Safari Lodge is illegal as the location was a residential plot, and not meant for business. “Our interest was to benefit from this business. But unfortunately, the corrupt Mafwe Traditional Authority took our bread. Hippo Lodge’s investor fenced off our communal land before acquiring a leasehold certificate,” continued Kwala. He said if these labour issues are not handled with care, community members will respond through violence. Kwala has been in the tourism sector for 15 years. “I like foreign tourism investors. I have no problem with them, but if they are practising exploitation of workers and discriminating against customers, they’re not needed in Namibia. They should pack as soon as possible and leave,” he charged.- anakale@nepc.com.na 2023-08-18Albertina Nakale
