Okashana: Court halts cattle herders’ warpath
A court case that emanated from the destruction of fences of so-called ‘well-connected’ individuals who reportedly fenced off grazing areas at Okashana Kuukongo waNehale has led to a group of disgruntled cattle herders being barred from taking any further action.
Last Monday, 16 cattle herders from the group of over 100 people who destroyed the fences of six farms in the Okashana area of the Oshikoto Region appeared in the Tsumeb Magistrate’s Court after they were arrested on counts of arson, malicious damage to property and public violence.
The suspects - aged between 30 and 72 - were granted bail of N$3 000 each and the matter was remanded to 12 December for further police investigations.
One of the complainants, Simon Urbanus Nambahu, reported to the police that the damage to his fence is worth N$500 000.
According to a preliminary report, the other complainants had yet to open cases against the alleged culprits.
Haven’t given up
In an interview with Namibian Sun, Ndilula Indongo (59) - one the leaders of the group of disgruntled cattle herders, who also got arrested - said as a result of the court case, they cannot take any further action.
He was responding to questions on what their next steps are since their release from police custody. “We have not given up, but since the matter is before the court, we cannot do much,” Indongo said.
He added that they did not know to whom the fenced-off farms belonged until 14 September, when they took matters into their own hands.
“All along, we have been asking to whom the fences belonged and no one could give us answers, but now we know,” he said.
Indongo reiterated their call for an intervention, made as part of a 5 September petition addressed to Oshikoto governor Penda Ya Ndakolo. “Communal land is for the people. We are small-scale farmers and we depend on the livestock we have. How will we survive if our animals don’t have a place to graze?” he wanted to know.
Grazing dwindles
“Our animals are now forced to graze along the main road and it is not safe because they can get [hit by cars] and cause accidents which can even claim human lives,” Indongo lamented.
“We don’t want to go and graze too close to the Etosha National Park because it is far and [because of] the fear of the wildlife that can harm both us and our livestock.”
Indongo added that over the years, grazing areas in the northern parts of the country have dwindled, which has led to some “well-connected individuals with resources splashing money” to secure land without following due cultural practices.
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Last Monday, 16 cattle herders from the group of over 100 people who destroyed the fences of six farms in the Okashana area of the Oshikoto Region appeared in the Tsumeb Magistrate’s Court after they were arrested on counts of arson, malicious damage to property and public violence.
The suspects - aged between 30 and 72 - were granted bail of N$3 000 each and the matter was remanded to 12 December for further police investigations.
One of the complainants, Simon Urbanus Nambahu, reported to the police that the damage to his fence is worth N$500 000.
According to a preliminary report, the other complainants had yet to open cases against the alleged culprits.
Haven’t given up
In an interview with Namibian Sun, Ndilula Indongo (59) - one the leaders of the group of disgruntled cattle herders, who also got arrested - said as a result of the court case, they cannot take any further action.
He was responding to questions on what their next steps are since their release from police custody. “We have not given up, but since the matter is before the court, we cannot do much,” Indongo said.
He added that they did not know to whom the fenced-off farms belonged until 14 September, when they took matters into their own hands.
“All along, we have been asking to whom the fences belonged and no one could give us answers, but now we know,” he said.
Indongo reiterated their call for an intervention, made as part of a 5 September petition addressed to Oshikoto governor Penda Ya Ndakolo. “Communal land is for the people. We are small-scale farmers and we depend on the livestock we have. How will we survive if our animals don’t have a place to graze?” he wanted to know.
Grazing dwindles
“Our animals are now forced to graze along the main road and it is not safe because they can get [hit by cars] and cause accidents which can even claim human lives,” Indongo lamented.
“We don’t want to go and graze too close to the Etosha National Park because it is far and [because of] the fear of the wildlife that can harm both us and our livestock.”
Indongo added that over the years, grazing areas in the northern parts of the country have dwindled, which has led to some “well-connected individuals with resources splashing money” to secure land without following due cultural practices.
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