THE Oshiwambo-speaking farmers who were evicted from western Kavango in 2008, and temporarily relocated to the Namibian Development Corporation (NDC) farms at Mangetti in June last year, must prepare to vacate those farms before July this year.

This was said by the Minister of Regional and Local Government, Jerry Ekandjo, during a meeting of the committee of Ministers on illegal grazing in Kavango, held at Ondangwa on Friday.

After the eviction of the farmers whose cattle had been grazing illegally in western Kavango, they had nowhere to go with the herds and the animals were starving in a corridor between Kavango and the former Owambo.

The farmers complained to Government, which decided to relocate them to the NDC farms at Mangetti.

Altogether 49 farmers with 3 466 animals registered to be relocated to the NDC farms, but only 46 farmers with 3 239 animals eventually moved there in June last year.

The relocation and provision of water on the NDC farms cost Government N$7,45 million.

Ekandjo told regional leaders on Friday that the agreement was for one year only, and the farmers have to prepare to leave by June this year.

"You have signed an agreement with the Government that you will be there only for 12 months, and after that you will move your cattle to land that you have found yourself," he said.

Apparently some of the evicted farmers are now grazing their cattle across the border in Angola.

Ohangwena Governor Usko Nghaamwa told the meeting that he and the governor of Angola's Cuando Cubango province had agreed on temporary grazing rights in southern Angola some years ago, but that no official agreement had been signed.