The Affirmative Repositioning (AR) party has encouraged the government to involve leaders at different levels when entering into project agreements with private investors.

Its Chairperson for the Zambezi Region, Watson Kalaluka, made the remarks at a media briefing at Kongola, where he appealed for local participation in the Manyeha Crocodile Farm.

With the project about to resume after it was abandoned by a contractor ten years ago, Kalaluka noted that it should be about shared beneficiation and local participation.

He emphasised that since the community provided land, the investor should also return the favour.

"We need job creation to be given to our community members, skills development, training and building capacity programmes. An agreement on infrastructure development between the company and community may include a water supply system to the local community, which lacks sustainable clean water, and power connections to the local communities that are without electricity."

AR said it will look at the agreement between the investor and the community and will advocate for fair compensation for any loss of land or resources and ownership.

"So we are saying, let us start a chapter that should be defined by cooperation, innovation and mutual respect. Let us work together to ensure that these developments uplift every family, empower every youth and preserve the values and identity of our community."

The idea of the planned factory for processing crocodile leather at Kayuwo in Kongola started in 2011, but it was abandoned later by the contractor, leaving the infrastructure incomplete despite the government having invested more than a million dollars. 

 Since then, the crocodile farm has endured years of neglect due to vandalism and reported theft of some of its materials.

The crocodile farm, to be called Manyeha Crocodile Leather Processing Factory, is a brainchild of the Namibia Industrial Development Agency (NIDA). 

At the planning stage, the project could have cost the government, through the implementing agency, more than N$27 million.

The project's completion would also include a training centre on a seven-hectare piece of land.

Contacted for comment, Kongola Constituency councillor Bennett Busihu said that he is aware of the situation, adding that an investor will be coming to the region soon to meet with the councillor, traditional leaders in the area and conservancies as well as the Ministry of Trade and Industry and the Zambezi Regional Council.