NAMPA

ENGOMBE

The Uuvudhiya Constituency in the Oshana Region, famous for its vast tracts of grassland, has experienced nine devastating veld fires in the past few months, with the latest reported on Saturday.

Gervasius Uunona of the forestry directorate reported this at a community meeting convened by Oshana governor Elia Irimari on Monday.

The most devastating fire, Uunona said, was at Onaushe village, where it destroyed a large tract of grazing land, burned down several homesteads and silos and killed animals.

Severe penalties

Irimari warned that anybody found guilty of burning grazing land in the area will be brought to book.

“It is bothersome that people continue to cause veld fires year in, year out,” said the governor.

He reminded people of the severe drought experienced last year which killed hundreds of cattle.

Irimari described the constituency as the region’s “mining area”, which must be developed into a modern animal husbandry centre to produce quality beef for marketing locally and abroad.

Be fire wise

Speaking at the same meeting, a senior councillor for the Uukwambi Traditional Authority, Kamulunga Shivute, appealed to local farmers, herders and residents to ensure that no negligent handling of fire takes place in and around the constituency.

“Some people, who are causing the fires deliberately, are known. Report them to the traditional authority so that they can be punished for their deeds,” Shivute urged the Uuvudhiya community.

With the help of members of the Namibia Defence Force (NDF), a veld fire in the constituency’s Omapale area was contained last week before reaching the neighbouring regions of Omusati, Kunene and Oshikoto.