Mangetti farmers in dispute

A faction within the Mangetti Farmers' Association (MFA) stands accused of attempting to oust the association's current executive committee.

A prominent local farmer, Shali Kamati, is said to have become the vice-chairperson of this faction, which is allegedly led by Kashona Malulu, a farmer and senior Ondonga headman.
Malulu and Kamati resigned from the MFA exco in August 2010, saying at the time that they were not happy with MFA chairperson Ismael Shailemo and the exco leadership.

They said their unhappiness stemmed from the fact that the leadership refused to make public the association's financial report.

The Malulu faction also stands accused of unsuccessfully attempting to change the name of the MFA to 'Mankette Farmers' Association', while it continues to use a stamp similar to that of the MFA.

A meeting of MFA members that took place at Oluno near Ondangwa recently heard that the Malulu faction is telling farmers to stop paying their membership fees to Moses Auala, who is the secretary of the MFA exco.

Speaking to Nampa last week, Shailemo expressed concern that the 'fake' stamp is being used to confuse members of his association.

The chairperson said official documents issued by the group all bear the heads of cattle in a logo similar to that of the MFA.

“We will be forced to take the legal route if they continue using a stamp and documents similar to ours,” he charged, before describing the faction as an underground organisation aiming to overthrow the current leadership of the MFA.

The splinter group has allegedly also opened a bank account, in which farmers who have stopped paying fees to the MFA secretariat or those with dual membership, can deposit their membership fees.

Approached for comment, Malulu denied that he clandestinely created a sub-association within the MFA with the intention to undermine the current leadership of the farmers' association.

He described the group as ‘just a transformation committee’ with good intentions, which seeks to “bring the MFA back on track.”

“We remain members of the MFA, and have not formed a new association,” Malulu stated, adding that members of Shailemo’s exco have become ‘dictators’, and regard themselves as untouchable.

He said his committee was mandated by most of the Mangetti farmers during a meeting held at Oluno some three years ago to consult and convince members of Shailemo’s exco to convene an annual general meeting (AGM).

The Mangetti farmers apparently wanted Shailemo to present the long-overdue MFA financial report to the members at the AGM.

They are also said to want to elect a new exco, as the mandate of Shailemo’s exco expired “many years ago.”

“These guys, apart from being dictators, want to be leaders of the MFA for life. They are also reluctant to tell the members how they have been utilising the resources of the association all these years,” Malulu stressed.

He also threatened that his ‘transformation committee’ will take legal action against the current MFA leadership if it continues to be reluctant to convene an AGM and present the financial report.

“Shailemo and I grew up in one house and therefore, I have nothing against him. What the farmers want is a transparent leadership for the association,” he said.

click to enlarge CATTLE POLITICS: Chairperson of the Mangetti Farmers Association (MFA) Ismael Shailemo (left) seen in this 2010 fi le photo at a traditional cattle show he hosted at his cattle post © File