Donald Tuarimbara Katjiuanjo, a landless farmer, has expressed serious concerns over the safety of his livestock and the well-being of the herders and himself as they continue to graze his animals along roadside corridors.

The situation has raised alarm among residents and authorities, highlighting ongoing land disputes in the region.

Katjiuanjo, who has been landless for the past four years following a family dispute over inheritance at Farm Geduld in the Houmoed area after the passing of his mother, shared his plight with Agri Select.

He currently tends to approximately 200 small stock, down from an initial 330 and
owns 72 cattle.

“The roadside is not a safe place for my animals or for me. Motorists have already killed
some of my animals, and passing trucks pose a constant threat to the cattle. Luckily, no human
lives have been lost so far, but it’s only a matter of time,” Katjiuanjo said.

His concerns extend beyond livestock losses. The farmer warned that the roaming animals are a danger to road users and could potentially cause fatal accidents. “It could just take a moment for a vehicle to overturn due to animals roaming on this busy road,” he added.

The volume of trucks and motorists using the road has increased, leaving Katjiuanjo feeling helpless. Despite multiple efforts to find alternative land, he has been unable to secure space for his livestock.

“I’ve approached various authorities and tried all means available to access land in communal areas, but nothing has materialised. The only place I know is the farm where I was born, but I have no access to it now,” he lamented.

Having lived on the farm for 44 years, Katjiuanjo has written multiple letters to regional authorities, including to Omaheke governor Pijoo Nganate, who also chairs the region’s resettlement committee.

He also contacted former Kalahari constituency councillor Ignatius Kariseb, former agriculture minister Calle Schlettwein, and the current minister of agriculture Inge Zaamwani, but has yet to receive a response.

“I am losing sleep over this situation. I never expected to be evicted from the farm that I called home for over four decades. Living in roadside corridors in an independent country is a terrible experience,” he painfully admitted.

He appealed to the government for assistance in securing grazing land for his animals.

This situation occurs amid reports of unregulated occupation of government farms in Omaheke, notably Farm Witsand, which was purchased for repatriates from Botswana, yet some landless farmers are still occupying municipal lands in Gobabis unlawfully.

Other government-owned farms, such as Caroline district, Haartebees Fontein (Buitepos area), Richline (Okorukambe constituency), Edna and Etenheim (Leonardville district), Gensteling (Aminuis) and Kehoro (Witvlei), remain underutilised or unoccupied.

The ongoing land disputes and lack of accessible grazing land continue to threaten the livelihoods and safety of farmers like Katjiuanjo, highlighting the urgent need for effective land reform and resettlement strategies in the region.

– zngaruka@gmail.com