By: Annakleta Haikera

Employees of the Kavango cattle ranch farm have expressed disappointment over the newly appointed Namibia Industrial Development Agency (NIDA) board members.

The appointment was made on 28 August, by acting public enterprise minister Shiimi Ilipumbu, following the recent brutal deaths of more than 100 cows at the Kavango cattle ranch farm in the Mangetti area, Kavango West region.

The Kavango Cattle Ranch chairperson Kasingana Galius said most of the new board members are based in Windhoek and are not aware of the situation on the ground.

“I just found out about the appointments from social media. I am very disappointed that people from far away are the ones to manage the farm. It could have been to our advantage as employees here if one of us was amongst those board members or the traditional authority or from the regional council because we’re the people that know the ranch in and out and all the workers here.”

The farm sits on 168,000 hectares, with more than 10,000 government-owned livestock. Shiimi reshuffled the board members after NIDA mismanaged the livestock at the ranch.

Businesswoman Twapewa Kadhikwa chaired the previous board with Beate Magano Muteka as deputy. Esmeralda Katjaerua, Floris Fleermuys and CEO Heinrich M Gaomab II were also on the board. Now, the NIDA board is chaired by Sebby Kankondi. Twapewa Kadhikwa (deputy) and Esmeralda Katjaerua remained, while Beata Muteka, Sven von Blottnitz, and Jerome Mutumba are newly appointed.

The new board members will start from 1 September 2022 until 31 August 2025.

“Most of the people you see here are well informed on everything that happens at the farm. How do we always report to Windhoek when we’re faced with challenges? The minister should also consider these types of things. Money that was promised to be paid to the workers in June for them to return to their duty stations has not yet been paid. Employees here give us their complaints. They don’t call those in their offices in Windhoek but come to us. Now to hear that the new board members will still be from Windhoek, I am shattered.”

Meanwhile, Mathews Sikaki, an employee at the farm, questioned the reappointment of two board members.

“Whether they select new board members or not, nothing will change at the farm. NIDA will continue to mismanage this farm and the employees here. We can talk about new members, but some were on the board when this farm was draining, and the same people have been reelected to the board. What chances do you think they will bring? I don’t think they will.”

Sikaki further claimed the NIDA finances have been mishandled since the start.

“I would prefer if people who know the farm very well will be put on the board to lead us; maybe then things will change here.”

Another Kavango Cattle Ranch farmworker, Simon Sinyando, told The Villager said work at the farm is often delayed because they must first get approval from the head office in Windhoek.

“NIDA office has failed us, and we will not stop blaming them. They are the reason why this farm is in a dying state. The process brought by the government about procurement is not here. Whenever we want something on the ground, we have to call people in Windhoek. This is not fair.”

Public enterprises spokesperson Johnathan Swartz told The Villager that the NIDA board have offices, and every issue on the ground is being discussed.

“It doesn’t mean that if you’re a board member, you should only be from Windhoek. You just need to meet the needed requirements. When we put the advertisement in the newspapers, we don’t look at colours or race, but everyone goes through a board appointment process until they are selected.”

He further said that interviews were conducted for the board positions.

“We asked people in the public who are Namibian citizens to apply to be part of the newly appointed NIDA board members so that they can go through a recruitment process. We looked at everybody, we do not just look at individuals, but one needs to qualify to be part of the recruitment, he said.”

NIDA was founded in 2018 to advance Namibia’s industrialisation agenda.