A dispute has emerged among the founding members of a Karibib multipurpose cooperative over its ownership and membership, with both sides presenting different views on who has the authority to lead the organisation.

Pitted on one side is the cooperative's current chairperson, Tjiueza Tjombumbi, who maintains he should have overall control of the cooperative. On the other side is Volker Nguherimo, a founding member of the same cooperative who reportedly claims ownership of the cooperative.    

Tjombumbi said he has no objection to Nguherimo rejoining the cooperative, noting that Nguherimo is a founding member and has never been expelled from the organisation.

However, Tjombumbi disputed Nguherimo's claims to apparent ownership of the cooperative.
He explained that one of the reasons Nguherimo was not serving on the board was because he and the cooperative's treasurer were in a relationship.

According to Tjombumbi, the cooperative's rules do not allow two people from the same household to serve on the board at the same time in order to promote good governance.

Tjombumbi also questioned the process through which Nguherimo allegedly recruited an additional 50 members.
He said those individuals would need to follow the cooperative's established membership procedures before they could be recognised as members.

"He is just wasting his time and energy on things that he is not supposed to be doing. I don't know. How do you sideline someone that is not even active on his plot? He has not even planted anything on his plot; he is wasting his time in the location, damaging the image of everyone here."

Nguherimo, on the other hand, has challenged the current leadership's authority.

"Since that moment, they have been removing me from all the communication groups. WhatsApp's everywhere. I have not had access until now. I have been trying all the means to get answers. We have been trying to communicate with them in faith that we can sit down peacefully."

The cooperative was established to enable community members to work together in agricultural production on land allocated by the government through the local two councils.
It aims to promote community development and improve livelihoods through cooperative farming.