By: Staff Writer
The Progressive Farmers of the Zambezi Region have submitted a petition to the Office of the Prime Minister calling for control of the Katima Mulilo Abattoir to be given back to Meatco.
Responsibility for the operation of the government-owned abattoir was transferred from Meatco to Zambezi Meat Cooperation (ZamCo) in June of this year.
Since the takeover, the facility has remained closed and non-operational, leaving farmers in the region without a formal market for livestock, according to farmers in the Zambezi region.
In a petition seen by Eagle Media House dated 14 August 2026 the Progressive Farmers of the Zambezi Region state that “the continued closure of this critical facility has reached a point where the livelihoods of hundreds of livestock farmers, their employees, households and businesses throughout the livestock value chain are at serious risk.”
The facility is currently non-operational due to outstanding operational, regulatory and compliance requirements that ZamCo has not yet fulfilled.
The petition also claims that ZamCo has stopped purchasing livestock, leaving farmers in the region strapped for cash.
The farmers have also revealed that approximately 770 cattle have been collected from Zambezi farmers by ZamCo, with only a handful of farmers receiving payment. The facility has the capacity to slaughter 15,000 cattle per year.
The Progressive Farmers of the Zambezi Region are calling for the immediate reopening of the Katima abattoir, immediate settlement of outstanding farmer payments, independent inquiry into the ZamCo takeover, and meaningful farmer representation.
They also demand an urgent stakeholder meeting including the Zambezi Regional Council, Meatco, ZamCo, the Livestock and Livestock Products Board of Namibia, and the Ministry of Agriculture.
The farmers expressed that they are not against the government exploring new operation models or private sector participation in the management of public agricultural infrastructure.
However, they called for such decisions to protect farmers and “ensure that critical agricultural infrastructure remains operational and financially sustainable.”
“The closure of the Katima Mulilo abattoir is having a substantial economic and social impact on the Zambezi region,” the Progressive Farmers of the Zambezi Region expressed to the Office of the Prime Minister.
Concerns about the takeover of the facility have been raised since March of this year, with the farmers of the Zambezi region submitting their opposing views via a petition signed by over 50 farmers, dated 24 March 2026, addressed to the Minister of Agriculture through the office of the Governor of the Zambezi region.
The March petition cited proven failure by ZamCo to operate the abattoir dating back to 2017 as well as the risk of the abattoir losing export certification status.
In a response addressed to ZamCo Chairperson, Alfred Chilinda, the Minister of Agriculture, Inge Zaamwani, stated that “the Ministry received numerous petitions from regional stakeholders, including ZamCo members, Zambezi farmers, and abattoir employees. These concerns must be duly considered and cannot be disregarded.”
In a different letter also addressed to Chilinda, the Minister wrote, “concerns raised by members have cast serious doubt on the decision not to renew the agreement with Meatco.”
The referenced agreement was the five-year agreement between the Ministry of Agriculture and Meatco, where Meacto would be running the Katima abattoir on behalf of ZamCo from April 2021 to 15 April 2026.
In a correspondence dated 29 June 2026, Minister Zamwani requested for ZamCo to submit documentation demonstrating governance and accountability measures to address stakeholder concerns, as well as a new business plan indicating operational, technical, administrative, and financial capacity by 13 July 2026.
ZamCo could not be reached for comment prior to publication.
