Geingob did not 'beg' Ovitoto chief

A member of the Ovitoto communal community on Monday rejected a claim that President Hage Geingob had “begged” Ovitoto chief Vipuira Kapuuo not to demonstrate in front of State House to petition the allocation of the game farms Osema and Gusende to a private company, Ovitoto Game and Hunting Safaris.

Sox Karamata said it was misleading to say that Geingob had begged the chief. He said such a statement should be retracted and could be considered as unethical.

He said Geingob had “requested” Kapuuo to first meet with Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila before taking any action.

Kapuuo and his delegation, which included Karamata, had indeed met with Kuugongelwa-Amadhila last week Wednesday.

Karamata would, however, not divulge the outcome of this meeting, saying that it was “very confidential”.

Similarly, he said, the Ovitoto community was yet to meet with other government officials as well as civil society organisations before a final decision could be made on whether to petition the awarding of the game farms to Ovitoto Game and Hunting Safaris.

Another member of the Kapuuo group, Rirua Komeheke, had earlier told this reporter that the head of state had “begged” Chief Kapuuo not to continue with a planned demonstration at State House.