Namibe, Angola, Aug. 29, 2025 (Lusa) - The provincial government of Namibe, in southern Angola, has announced that the leaders of two ethnic groups in conflict over a water dispute, which caused 12 deaths, have reached an agreement.
The understanding, sealed with a handshake between the sobas representing the Kuvale (or mucubais) and Nhaneca communities, signals a "commitment to peace, mutual respect and harmonious coexistence" in the Camucuio and Cacimbas regions, according to a statement from the provincial government.
The agreement was reached following meetings organised by Governor Archer Mangueira, to create a "peaceful environment" between the groups of cattle breeders from the two ethnic groups, historically marked by tensions over access to water and pasture.
The meetings were attended by sobas (traditional authorities), elders and community leaders, who represent populations that have been in conflict for more than 45 years, aggravated by cattle rustling in grazing areas and where the animals drink water from the Mulovei dam in the Cacimbas municipality.
According to the Namibe government, several measures have been adopted, including reinforcing the presence of defence and security forces, controlling the number of cattle in the dam area and punishing cattle theft in an exemplary manner.
"The measures are aimed at ensuring that the grazing area can be shared and that the Mulovei dam can be used to water cattle without conflict, the main cause of which has been the theft of animals by both parties," the note emphasises.
Governor Archer Mangueira also indicated that the availability of water for cattle will soon be reinforced with the completion of desilting work on 16 dams located in the Camucuio and Cacimbas regions, as part of the project to combat drought in the southern part of the country. In total, 43 dams have been identified in Namibe.
Following the conflict over water, which resulted in 12 deaths, bladed weapons in the possession of citizens in the municipalities of Cacimbas and Camucuio were collected as a preventative measure to avoid further armed clashes between the Mucubais and Nhanekas peoples.
Conflicts between pastoralist communities in southern Angola, particularly between Kuvale (also known as mucubais) and Nhaneca-Humbi, are linked to competition for scarce resources such as water and pasture, aggravated by traditional retaliatory practices associated with cattle theft.
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