Ovivapa leadership denies land crisis

Leaders of the Ovivapa community in the Kunene Region have distanced themselves from the concerned group that threatened to take the law into its own hands if government fails to resolve the land dispute between them and people from Omusati.

The community's spokesperson, Uakandaiza Tjiharuka told Nampa they are not party to the petition delivered last month by concerned residents. The concerned group petitioned President Hage Geingob through the office of Kunene Governor Angelika Muharukua in which they asked Geingob to step in to resolve the problem which they said started in 1992.

The group allege that some residents from Omusati, especially in the area of jurisdiction of the Uukwaluudhi Traditional Authority, are fencing off large pieces of land in Kunene.

According to Tjiharuka, they are not aware of anyone who was resettled without having followed the proper channels.

“We are also not aware of anyone from Kunene who was refused a place in the Omusati Region by the Uukwaluudhi Traditional Authority as claimed by the petitioners,” Tjiharuka said.

He also said the fenced-off areas are gardens and not camps as alleged. Approached for comment, spokesperson of the concerned group, Kaaree Mupya, told this agency their problem is not with the Ovivapa leadership but with the Uukwaluudhi Traditional Authority, which allegedly resettles people out of their area of jurisdiction.

“If the Ovivapa traditional authority wants to start an argument with us, let us do so,” Mupya warned.

The Ovivapa leadership has not yet been recognised by government. The community is led by councillor Jaazemenua Matundu.





NAMPA