Stefanus Nambara

NKURENKURU – The Mbunza Traditional Authority has ordered the removal of an alleged illegal fence, which was erected earlier this year, to pave way for farmland at Tamesa village in the Kavango West region. 

The illegal fence is said to have affected three villages, including Karo, Pusa and Gcugcuma, as well as residents of villages who used to have access to the enclosed land for grazing and cultivating purposes. New Era understands part of the land that was enclosed was planned for a community forest. Irate villagers claimed the man erected the fence through his wife and his parents used to settle at Karo at some point, where they owned a crop field.  According to the villagers, the man was only allowed to develop a crop field and not fence off a large tract of land. 

“If it is just for cultivating and only settle where it was agreed, then there would be no problem. The only problem here is this fence that angered the people,” said Kamilius Hawanga, the headman of the affected villages.  The villagers said they have, on several occasions, tried to stop him but they were not successful in their attempts. According to them, the wife of the farmer maintained the fencing would not stop even if the villagers reported the issue to the authorities.  The farmer also never showed up when he was called to attend meetings to settle the dispute, according to the villagers. The disgruntled villagers, however, never backed down from the fight, as they gave the man, through writing, 30 days to stop the work. 

This, however, did not happen and when the given days lapsed, they again went back to the traditional authority, which authorised them to forcefully remove the fence. 

“We don’t want this farm in our communal area; it is not allowed. What dirty work is this? This is not a field as we are seeing it – it is a farm,” said Hawanga. 

Another villager said the culprit should simply vacate the piece of land. “He is not a good neighbour and you don’t live with such neighbours. He must just go back to where ever he came from,” said Mariane Karondo. 

The headman appealed to the villagers to desist from fencing off communal land. “We don’t want this thing to happen again in the future. What we are doing today is an example we are setting for our communities,” stated Hawanga. The man in question, identified as Johannes Haimbili Mbundi, claimed he procedurally acquired the land – with the blessings of the traditional authority and land board in the region. He said he received the permission to farm there as per the consent letter from the traditional authority. 

Few minutes after agreeing with this reporter that he will provide proof of the documents supporting his claim, he said he was unable to do so, as documents were reportedly in the possession of the police. He also said he has opened a case against the fence removal.