THE dispute between two rival factions of the Ongombe Farmers' Association (OFA) over the use of an auction kraal at Okamatapati, must be resolved, and they must unite to form one single leadership, by the time a new management contract has to be singed next year in May, Agriculture Minister John Mutorwa says.

Reacting to a report in The Namibian on Monday about the matter, Minister Mutorwa said on Tuesday it was regrettable that one of the two factions did not turn up to sign an agreement on June 2 this year.

"The position of the Agriculture Ministry is still the same as in June, that an interim leadership, with an annual general meeting, from which one [single] organisation, one constitution, and one leadership should emerge, and be in place for the new management contract for next year," Mutorwa told The Namibian on Tuesday.

The OFA, which was formed before Independence, split in 2007, after a dispute arose in 2006 about where to hold the annual agricultural show - at Okakarara, the regional capital or at the small settlement of Okamatapati - where there are Government auction pens, which were leased by the OFA. One faction, three years ago, decided to become an affiliated member of the Namibia Agricultural Union, (NAU), which mainly caters for commercial farmers. The other group remained under the wing of the Namibian National Farmers' Union (NNFU). The split has also caused disunity in the community.

Two years ago, Agriculture Minister Mutorwa cancelled the lease agreement with the OFA for the auction pens, and declared that the use of the pens at Okamatapati would be dealt with on a 'first come, first served' basis.

This year Labour Minister Immanuel Ngatjizeko acted as mediator and held several meetings with both factions. Both factions were to sign an agreement on June 1, but the faction remaining with the NNFU, and lead by Chris Katjitundu, did not turn up.

Last week Katjitundu told reporters that not all disputed issues had been ironed out, like the disappearance of assets including a tractor, and what happened to an external grant of N$1.5 million. "We would like Minister Ngatjizeko to sort out these issues which should help finalise the mediation efforts," Katjitundu said.

His faction had even obtained a court interdict against the other group last year and the matter is still pending.

Katjitundu's press conference was prompted by remarks made by Albert Tjihero, leader of the NAU-affiliated faction, last week on NBC radio, that Ngatjizeko's mediation efforts had been concluded.