By: Annakleta Haikera
The illegal fencing of communal land in the Kavango West Region continues unabated, with authorities warning that the number of confirmed cases are expected to go above 60 as investigations remain ongoing.
According to the Kavango West Communal Land Board (KWCLB), more than 21,534.91 hectares of communal land have already been affected by illegal fencing across the region.
During the current reporting period, according to The Villager, 44 illegal fences were officially dealt with by the KWCLB. The Board, however, has clarified that the figure does not equate to all fences having been removed.
Stefanus Kudumo, KWCLB chairperson, explained that the 44 cases reflect completed administrative and legal processes, including investigations and appeals lodged by fence owners.
“The 44 fences reflect the completed activity conducted on them in terms of investigation, summons for a hearing, and orders to remove them, including some appeals. Out of these, only one fence was successfully removed,” Kudumo said.
He noted that several fence owners have appealed to the Appeal Tribunal, which has delayed physical removals pending the outcome of those hearings.
The Board further reported that one illegal fence remains pending removal, while three fences are ready for removal once logistical and legal processes are finalised.
Kudumo revealed that more illegal fencing cases will soon be presented to the Board after ongoing investigations are completed in line with the law.
“Preliminary investigations were conducted in terms of Section 8 of the Communal Land Reform Act, and the investigation team is expected to provide a fully comprehensive report on all illegal fences investigated. This allows the Communal Land Board to take a stronger and more informed resolution,” he said.
He warned that the total number of illegal fences is likely to increase, as further investigations are currently underway.
“The number of illegal fences will rise to above 60 due to ongoing investigations that are yet to be concluded and formally presented to the Board,” indicated Kudumo.
Kudumo also clarified that the three illegal fences earmarked for removal by the Namibia Youth Service (NYS) were carried over from earlier cases, dating back between 2021 and 2024.
“These three fences were supposed to form part of the eight illegal fences that were removed in 2023 by NYS, but they were not completed at the time and were carried forward,” he said.
Illegal fencing has emerged as one of the most serious land governance challenges in Kavango West, contributing to boundary disputes, the loss of communal grazing land, and increasing tensions between residents and traditional authorities.
The matter is exacerbated by areas where customary land rights have yet to be registered, leaving residents without security of tenure.
Residents from Mpungu, Nankudu, and Nkurenkuru constituencies have voiced their concerns, saying illegal fencing is destroying livelihoods and communal land-sharing practices.
“People are fencing land meant for everyone. Our cattle no longer have grazing land, and disputes start when animals cross into fenced areas,” said Martin Mukuve, a resident from the Mpungu constituency.
Rudolph Mbangu, another resident from the Nankudu area accused authorities of slow action, saying “Some fences stand for years even after being reported. It makes people feel like the law is not working for ordinary villagers.”
Others warned that illegal fencing is worsening poverty and youth unemployment, as young people struggle to access land for farming and livestock production.
The KWCLB acknowledged that enforcement efforts are constrained by inadequate funding, lack of 4×4 vehicles to access remote areas, unresolved boundary disputes between the Mbunza and Shambyu Traditional Authorities, and limited understanding of the Communal Land Reform Act, Act No. 5 of 2002, among some stakeholders.
During the reporting period, the Board spent N$481,579.06 on five Communal Land Board meetings, covering accommodation, sitting allowances, catering, lease monitoring, and investigations.
Despite these challenges, the KWCLB and the Division of Land Reform conducted community awareness campaigns, both on the ground and through radio broadcasts, aimed at educating traditional authorities, leaseholders, and communities on land registration, lease conditions, and the removal of illegal fences.
These efforts reportedly led to improved compliance with lease fee payments.
Nevertheless, the Board warned that illegal fencing remains persistent, alongside non-compliance with lease conditions and a growing number of applications for leasehold rights on land located outside designated agricultural areas, which cannot be processed due to a ministerial moratorium imposed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform.
In its recommendations, the KWCLB called for increased budget allocations, intensified community awareness programmes, education on rental and lease obligations, improved institutional capacity, and stronger enforcement mechanisms to effectively address illegal fencing in the region.
