OPUWO — A significant dispute over land distribution, lease, and sale approvals has intensified between several traditional authorities (TAs) in the Kunene and Omusati regions, bringing long-standing tensions to the forefront during a recent tribunal hearing in Opuwo.

According to Namibia Press Agency, the Mumbuu and Tjijeura traditional authorities, along with the Uukwaluudhi, Tjimuhiva, Otjikaoko TAs, and Vita Tom Royal House, convened at an Appeal Tribunal appointed by the Minister of Land Reform. The tribunal was tasked with hearing an appeal from the Mumbuu and Tjijeura TAs, which sought to nullify all land applications previously ratified by the Kunene land board in favor of the Vita Tom Royal House and others. The appellants claimed that these applications involved questionable land dealings, such as the unauthorized sale of customary land and improper fencing of communal fields.

Chief Uapundua Edward Mumbuu expressed his concerns during the tribunal, stating, "Our land is being dished out for personal benefits." He further argued that the land in question, located near Omakange and Okomakuara in what is known as Kaokoland, was outside the jurisdiction of the Uukwaluudhi area of authority, challenging why they had the authority to grant land there. He requested that all existing applications be declared null and void.

In response, Ottilie Hamukoto, a Kunene Communal Land Board official, defended the board's decisions at Wednesday’s tribunal. She asserted that all applicant requirements were met, and the board found the appellants' claims to lack merit, thereby upholding the land allocations. She noted, "Vita royal house, Uukwaluudhi, and Otjikaoko consented to the applications and gave authorities as they are required to."

The conflict has also sparked broader accusations, with Gustav Tjimuhiva, a senior councillor of the Tjimuhiva Traditional Authority, labeling the dispute as a "tribal witchhunt" against the Uukwaluudhi. Conversely, Ben Kapi, secretary of Vita Tom Royal House, criticized the appellants for their lack of familiarity with customary land laws and suggested they should have sought more information before escalating the matter to the minister.

The tribunal's decision remains central to a broader debate over land rights and traditional authority in the regions, reflecting deep-seated issues of governance, cultural authority, and the management of communal lands.