Outapi residents clash with council over land grab
Allexer Namundjebo
The Outapi Town Council has taken Tobias Haimbodi, a resident of Omukoko village near Outapi, to court over a building he constructed on what the council says is municipal land.
Haimbodi says the council has not compensated his family for the land, which is part of the town’s expansion plan.
“In normal circumstances, when a town expands, the residents living on that land are compensated.
In this case, that has never happened,” Haimbodi told Observer. He also accused the council of changing the location’s name to gain a legal advantage.
“They’re now calling our place Oukwa-wananyanga Extension 11. That’s a newly established shantytown next to our house. They’re doing this deliberately to score points in court,” he said.
A letter dated 22 September 2024 from Outapi Town Council CEO Ananias Nashilongo states that Haimbodi constructed a structure without council approval.
“We have observed an illegal construction on the land where your mahangu field is located. This was done without council approval,” the letter said.
It added that a council official verbally told Haimbodi on 30 August 2023 to stop building, but he did not comply.
The council had demanded that Haimbodi remove the structure at cost and pay an illegal construction fee of N$5,000 by 30 November 2024.
Haimbodi said the council marked his family land in 2017 without notice or consultation.
“They deployed a team to mark our property without consulting us. This disturbed my peace and affected my health, causing high blood pressure due to constant stress from their office,” he said. He insists the council never legally acquired or compensated for the land. “They continue to dictate what should happen as if they’ve compensated us already. That can’t continue,” he added.
Haimbodi also claims the council has started allocating plots on their land without consulting the Omukoko residents.
Letters show the community demands meetings in Omukoko, not Outapi.
“The residents feel disrespected being summoned to town when we have a hallowed tree where our village meetings are traditionally held. The town council is the one seeking services from us, not the other way around,” the letter said.
Efforts to get comments from CEO Mateus Nashilongo and Mayor Selma Asino failed. Questions sent last week were acknowledged but remain unanswered.
These sought clarity on whether residents were formally notified about the land inclusion, if compensation was paid, and if plots were sold without consent.
The inquiry also asked about legal action against residents refusing demolition.
Affirmative Repositioning activist Shiweva Petrus called the issue “corruption in plain sight”.
He said town council employees force poor people off their land without compensation, allowing money to end up in their pockets.
Petrus alleged that several council employees own multiple plots in Outapi.
“We are ready as community activists to fight for justice. These Namibians are being harassed daily, and we won’t rest until justice is served,” he said.
This case is among many where town councils are accused of evicting residents or acquiring communal land without fair compensation.
Similar claims have arisen in Ehenye, Ongwediva, Okahao, Helao Nafidi, Rundu, Katima Mulilo, and Omuthiya.
