Government spent N.dollars 2.6 million on buying a resettlement farm for Zambezi governor Lawrence Sampofu in 2016, which he is yet to occupy.

This while many Namibian farmers are forced to graze in the corridors.

Farm Lora – Sampofu’s resettlement farm – is situated in the Omaheke Region.

There is currently not much farming taking place on the farm.

“There is no evidence in our database showing that any farming activities are taking place on that farm since he was resettled,” a source said.

Sampofu’s case is a classic example of how those in close proximity to power received resettlement farms during the reign of former Omaheke Governor Festus Ueitele.

As governor, Ueitele chaired the region’s resettlement committee, which recommends names for resettlement to the minister responsible for land reform.

According to the ministry, the Zambezi governor has been engaged in crop production and animal husbandry since 1989.

Nampa sought to solicit information from Sampofu but hit a brick wall.

“Why now? Since 2016 you are asking me these questions… Where did you get that information? I am sorry please (sic),” he said.

He continued: “Please, no, no, no.”

TIES THAT BIND

While Sampofu conducts no farming activities on Farm Lora, Ueitele’s in-law, Dennis Katjiuanjo occupies the farm.

Whether a rental agreement between Sampofu and Katjiuanjo exists, remains a mystery.

Subleasing a resettlement farm without the approval of the ministry of land reform is illegal.

Katjiuanjo is Uapeua Ueitele’s uncle. Uapeua is married to Festus Ueitele.

“We know where this country is headed to [extent of corruption]. We speak the same language [Otjiherero]. So just know that if I lose my opportunity [farm] where I at least have two chickens, it is because of you. Just know that,” Katjiuanjo said when contacted for comment, before saying, “I am just a caretaker of the farm”.

In fact, Katjiuanjo said: “At least I have a chicken or two there… People should be happy. My boss [Sampofu] asked me to be the caretaker because as a national leader, he is always on the road.”

According to Katjiuanjo, there are at least 20 heads of cattle on the farm that belongs to Sampofu.

Additionally, in 2016, Uapeua was resettled on Farm Boosport. It cost the taxpayer N.dollars 8.5 million.

When Nampa probed Ueitele in 2019 about this, he said he “was on sick leave when my wife was resettled, so I played no role in that. I just saw her name when the list of beneficiaries came out.”

The Ueiteles did not reply to detailed questions sent to them this week.

According to the ministry, Uapeua has been a farmer since 2001, focusing mainly on animal husbandry.

DIRECTING

This is not all.

Deputy director of land reform in Omaheke, Mclesia Mbaisa was also resettled under dubious circumstances on Farm Tweeling, which cost taxpayers N.dollars 5 million.

As deputy director, Mbaisa’s office works hand-in-hand with the governor’s office in the resettlement process.

Mbaisa, according to people familiar with her dealings, flexes her muscles to direct public resources to her farm.

She has renovated her boreholes, fences, solar panels and acquired other farming equipment from the ministry.

“When we approach the office to renovate our boreholes or water pumps, we are told there is nothing. But everything goes to those in high offices,” said a farmer who preferred anonymity.

Approached for comment, she said: “The Ministry has public relations officers who might assist you with answers to your questions.”

POLITICALLY EXPOSED

Other politically exposed persons who benefited from the Omaheke farm bonanza include business mogul Amos Shiyuka, unionist-turned-politician Rocco Nguvauva and former NBC presenter Toucy Tjijombo.

Job Muniaro, the secretary-general of the National Union of Namibian Workers is also a resettlement beneficiary in Omaheke.

He was resettled in 2011.

Shiyuka practices crop production, animal husbandry and has a certificate in livestock production. Government forked out N.dollars 5.3 million to buy the farm he is resettled on.

At the time of her resettlement, Tjijombo was the talk of the town as allegations spread like wildfire across social media that her special relationship with the then land reform minister, Utoni Nujoma, landed her the farm.

Tjijombo vehemently denies this.

“If it was true that I am Utoni’s girlfriend, I would have kept quiet. I live my life the way I want and if I was Utoni’s girlfriend, I would’ve said so,” she said.

Tjijombo has been in the agribusiness since 2004 and moved from farm to farm on a rental basis in search of rangeland until her resettlement in 2016.

For Tjijombo’s farm, on which she and four others are resettled, the government paid N.dollars 19 million.

“If there was any favouritism, people that serve on the land board would know,” she said.

Tjijombo buttressed her point: “I have been applying for resettlement since time immemorial. If I had connections, I would not have gone those extra miles… If I had connections, I would not have rented all those years at so many places.”

HARASSMENT

While political heavyweights like Sampofu do as they please with impunity, it is the poor who suffer the wrath of officials from the land reform ministry.

One such person is Obed Hamutenja who has faced constant “harassment and intimidation” from officials.

Hamutenja is resettled on portion 13 of Farm Kranz No 169, some seven kilometres outside Gobabis.

According to him, officials frequent his farm to remind him that they went out of their way to ensure that he was resettled.

“The governor [Ueitele] approached me in 2016 and explained how he fought tooth and nail to ensure that I got this plot and that in return, someone would come and stay with me,” Hamutenja told Nampa already in 2019.

The status quo remains.

“They are still harassing me, claiming I have stolen farming equipment that I found on the farm. They can’t prove this. They are threatening to evict me instead of giving me the necessary support that I need,” Hamutenja said recently.

He said: “I have shown them my bankable business plan. But they turn a blind eye. I can’t even secure a loan from AgriBank because they are busy tarnishing my name at every turn.”

NGANATE FACTOR

Current Omaheke governor, Pijoo Nganate, did not respond to detailed questions, despite promising to do so.

Nganate, however, confirmed visiting Hamutenja’s farm.

“I am in a serious meeting that will bring money to the region,” he said on Wednesday when Nampa followed up.

EXPERT OPINION

Agriculture expert Venomukona Tjiseua was less euphoric about Namibia’s blanket resettlement process, where the rich, poor, displaced and land dispossessed compete on an equal pedestal.

“The resettlement programme should be categorised for the purpose of giving land to those who lost land and for Namibians with the potential to create jobs and contribute towards food security at the national level,” Tjiseua said.

This, the expert said, is “because there are really good farms with potential that were given to beneficiaries that could not do much on these farms.”

UNDER REVIEW

At present, Namibia’s resettlement policy is under review to take corrective measures, agriculture and land reform minister, Calle Schlettwein confirmed.

The policy was aimed at correcting past injustices and skewed land ownership between white and black Namibians, regardless of their economic status.

Chief among the shortcomings of the current policy is means testing, “whether you need to be wealthy or poor [to be resettled].”

“We are looking at the policy plus its support structures. I think it is not a good policy if we only distribute land to wealthy black people,” he said.

According to Schlettwein, the situation whereby wealthy or powerful black Namibians benefit from government’s resettlement programme at the expense of the poor when they qualify for tailor-made loan products such as the Affirmative Action Loan Scheme with Agribank, cannot continue unabated.

He said: “We must concentrate on the productivity of the land. If poor people have difficulties to finance operations to make it productive, then we must add some support structures for them to actually get the means to stand on their own.”

For Schlettwein, agriculture can only become attractive and grow the economy if it is sustainably done by farmers.

The refined policy will be ready in mid-2022.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency