Flooding and its impacts on Nkondo community in Rundu, Kavango east region of Namibia, 1950s

Abstract

This is a study on flooding and its impact on the Nkondo community in Rundu, in the Kavango area of Namibia. It draws from archival sources at the National Archives of Namibia. Whilst archival documents provide an idea of what and how colonial officials thought of and related to the colonial subjects, they cannot represent the feelings, beliefs and interpersonal relationships of the ordinary people. This article thus made use of oral interviewing, not as a means to fill the gap but as an alternative to exploring memories of former Nkondo residents about the 1950s flood and its impact. Interviews were carried out in 2004 and 2005 when 14 people were interviewed for the histories of forced removals in Rundu, but only five are used for this article as they specifically speak to the story of flooding. Interviewees were chosen through referrals from the headmen of the surrounding villages of Rundu. Interviewees were asked questions that provide a chronological representation of a case study of forced relocations in Rundu. The article is an important historical piece that draws on unique oral-history regarding flooding and its impact. Furthermore, it is a story about power, politics and colonial dynamics and forced relocation using flooding as a pretext. The article indicates how colonial authorities made use of this benevolent excuse of a natural disaster to compel people to move permanently to new areas so as to fulfil the colonial administration’s political agenda of security and control over the population. The article indicates that flood-prone communities may fear relocating permanently due to cultural, social and economic factors. Thus, the government should not use force to relocate communities but should address communities’ fears and provide them with support in relocated areas.

Examining the Drivers of Land Use /Land Cover Change: A Case of the Kavango River Basin and its Immediate Environments in Namibia

“…High rainfalls in Angola, can promote flooding on the Namibian side of the basin. Previous studies have indicated that flood in Kavango is not a new disaster as flood incidence dates back to the 1950s in the Kondo community near Rundu [38]. Records show that the flood events resulted in the collapse of the whole Kondo community as they were relocated and scattered within other communities.…”

“…Besides the economic factors that could hinder the process of permanently relocating to another area, cultural and social norms could also play an important role in this situation. A study by [38] revealed similar opinions where the flooded communities in the Kavango region do not consider to be relocated to dry areas. Reasons are also tied to socio-economic and cultural values which come to play.…”