Romeo Muyunda – Windhoek Observer

08 Oct

White rhinos sold to US buyers amid public outcry over wildlife ownership

ObserverNational NewsBush Camp, Kifaru Luxury Lodge, Romeo Muyunda

Ester Mbathera Forty-two white rhinos purchased from Kifaru Luxury Lodge and Bush Camp near Outjo departed from Namibia on Tuesday afternoon aboard a Boeing 747. The rhinos will be airlifted from Hosea Kutako International Airport to Texas, USA. The export of the rhinos comes barely two weeks after 63 giraffes and an unknown number of camels were also sold to foreign nationals. The rhinos were sold by Jaco Muller from Kifaru Luxury Lodge and Bush Camp, who confirmed the sale to Kosmos 94.1 News. “The animals were bought from me by a wildlife trader who had an American agent, and…

02 Oct

Namibia gears up for World Clean-Up and Arbour Days

ObserverObserver MoneyRomeo Muyunda, World Clean-Up Day and Arbour Day

Niël Terblanché By participating in the commemoration of both World Clean-Up Day and Arbour Day, Namibians will have the opportunity to be part of global efforts to protect the environment and enhance sustainable living. The Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism has announced that Namibia will be commemorating these important global events. The ministry's spokesperson, Romeo Muyunda, said that the country will raise awareness about environmental health and sustainability on both World Clean-Up Day and Arbour Day. World Clean-Up Day, celebrated internationally on 20 September, has been postponed to 12 October 2024 in Namibia. “The ministry is calling on Namibians…

15 Jun

Sale of live crocodiles aimed at minimizing conflict

ObserverNational NewsRomeo Muyunda, Sale of live crocodiles aimed at minimizing conflict

Niël Terblanché Constant attacks by crocodiles on people and an increase in the number of incidents of Human-Wildlife Conflict have led to a decision to sell some of the reptiles. Romeo Muyunda, the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT) spokesperson said that as the custodian of Government-owned wildlife, the ministry will offer 40 crocodiles for sale to the public on tender. “Over the years, Namibia has experienced a remarkable recovery of wildlife populations as a result of good conservation methods. This has placed the country as a global leader in conservation,” Muyunda said. The increase in animal numbers has…

14 Apr

Eight suspected rhino poachers arrested

ObserverNational NewsEight suspected rhino poachers arrested, Romeo Muyunda, Sakaria Johannes

Martin Endjala The Ministry of Environment Tourism and Forestry has arrested eight suspects on charges related to rhino poaching over the Easter long weekend, in two separate incidents. “Last week two suspects that illegally entered the Etosha National Park to hunt Rhinos were arrested during a mobile roadblock on the Tsumeb and Otavi road, two fresh rhino horns were found in their possession and confiscated by Blue Rhino Task Team,” the environment Ministry’s Chief Public Relations Officer, Romeo Muyunda said in a statement. A Namibian male by the name of Sakaria Johannes and Tomas Domingos an Angolan male, appeared in…

04 Aug

Poaching in national parks decrease

ObserverNational News24 black rhinos and 9 white rhinos, 33 rhinos poached in Namibia, Forestry and Tourism, Ministry of Environment, Romeo Muyunda

Staff Wrter The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism has noted that since strengthening its wildlife protection strategies in National Parks, poaching has decreased there. However, spokesperson Romeo Muyunda said that poachers appears to have shifted their focus to custodianship farms and private farms with white rhinos. “To date we have a recorded 33 rhinos poached in Namibia, 24 black rhinos and 9 white rhinos. This year’s poaching cases include nine (9) rhinos poached in custodianship farms, another 9 on private farms and 15 in the Etosha National Park. Namibia has recorded 44 rhinos poached in 2021, 42 in 2020,…

19 Jul

Forestry officials confiscate planks

ObserverNational NewsForestry officials confiscate planks, Mururani, Romeo Muyunda

Staff Writer The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism has confiscated 75 planks processed from tree trunks that were buried on a farm in Kavango West Region. All 75 planks were confiscated and transported to Mururani. “Officials responsible for the two Kavango regions on 15 July 2022 discovered 75 planks buried on farm unit no.1902 after a tip off from the public. The planks are believed to have been illegally harvested from farm no 1903. Both farms are in Ncamagoro constituency in the Kavango West Region,” said the ministry’s spokesperson Romeo Muyunda. It is alleged that the planks processed from…

15 Jun

11 poached rhino carcasses found

ObserverNational News11 poached rhino carcasses found, Namibia Defence Force (NDF), Romeo Muyunda

Staff Writer 11 poached rhino carcasses were discovered since the beginning of June in the Etosha National Park.The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT) spokesperson Romeo Muyunda in a statement today said all the rhinos were found without horns and they were all black rhinos.“With our ongoing operation in Etosha National Park, we unfortunately discovered eleven (11) rhino carcasses as from the beginning June 2022 to date. All the eleven are black rhinos. Investigations indicate that the carcasses range between 3 weeks and older. This is regrettable and a strong indication that the fight against poaching is not over,”…

13 Apr

Unprocessed timber seized

ObserverUncategorisedForestry and Tourism, Romeo Muyunda, Unprocessed timber seized

Staff Writer The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism has announced the seizure last weekend of raw timber from a truck that was destined for South Africa. The confiscation follows the ministry’s statement earlier this month that Namibia will only allow the export of processed timber products. According to the chief public relations officer in the ministry, Romeo Muyunda ‘’1500 planks on the truck are held and the transport permit temporally suspended pending further investigations to establish where the timber came from and if it was legally acquired”. Minister Pohamba Shifeta also warned Namibians not to over exploit natural resources,…

06 Apr

N$15 million paid for human wildlife conflict

ObserverObserver MoneyN$15 million paid for human wildlife conflict, Romeo Muyunda

Staff writer The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism has paid out N$ 15 126 402 on human wildlife conflict cases over the past three years. This is according to statistics released to the Windhoek Observer yesterday by Romeo Muyunda, the ministry’s spokesperson. The figures indicate that since 2019 to date the ministry has disbursed N$7 890 550 to conservancies, N$2 454 402 for livestock losses, N$2 291 450 for crop damages, N$2 000 000 for loss of life and N$490 000 for injuries caused by human wildlife conflict. Furthermore, the statistics indicate that there were 20 case of people…

28 Nov

Man killed by elephant, GRN to pay N$100 000

ObserverObserver MoneyForestry and Tourism, Ministry of Environment, Romeo Muyunda

Eba Kandovazu THE family of Matala Mafuta, aged 71, who was instantly killed by an elephant yesterday in the Bwabwata National Park, will be paid N$ 100 000 by the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism. Mafuta, according to the ministry Spokesperson, Romeo Muyunda, was attacked and killed by the elephant around 9h30. He hails from Omega 3 village. Muyunda explains that the incident occurred in the area of the village, which is within the park and is zoned as Management Resource Use Zone, Zambezi region. Investigations found that the victim was on his way to his nearby crop field…