Scramble for Etosha intensifies …as Hai//om table demands

Mulisa Simiyasa

OKAUKUEJO – The Etosha National Park has once again become the focus of national attention after the Hai//Om renewed longstanding demand for their ancestral land rights, greater access to natural resources and a fairer share of the park’s economic benefits.

A convoy of nearly 30 government vehicles, led by Vice President Lucia Witbooi, toured the park last week Wednesday and Thursday, as ministers, governors and senior government officials sought first-hand insight into concerns raised by the Hai//Om living in and around Etosha.

The visit followed complaints submitted to the Office of the Vice President, outlining a wide range of grievances, including calls for the return of Etosha to the Hai//Om San as their ancestral land.

Community members at Ombika and Okaukuejo also complained of alleged mistreatment by park officials, poor conditions at Okaukuejo Combined School, inadequate sanitation and electrification and limited access to civil registration services.