Ombudsman praised for land hearings
The Affirmative Repositioning (AR) movement has praised the ombudsman, John Walters, for announcing that he will hold public hearings as part of his efforts to investigate the manner in which the government allocates resettlement farms.
The public hearings will take place on 3 July at Mariental, 5 July at Gobabis, 10 July at Otjiwarongo, 11 July at Karibib, 24 July at Keetmanshoop and 26 and 27 July in Windhoek.
They follow the launch of full-scale investigation by Walters into the government's land resettlement process. He has also requested a master list of beneficiaries from the land reform ministry.
Walters's investigation follows the awarding of a resettlement farm to the widow of late struggle icon Andimba Herman Toivo Ya Toivo, who was already resettled in 2015 on Gross Otjomune, a resettlement farm in the Erongo Region.
In March this year the lands ministry revealed in a tiny newspaper notice that Vicki Erenstein Ya Toivo would be resettled on unit A of Farm Joyce, which measures
2 376 hectares and is situated in the Omaheke Region.
Erenstein Ya Toivo said at the time she had applied for the land, but that it was a continuation of efforts made her late husband to secure a suitable resettlement farm, as the initial one was too far from Windhoek and in a very poor condition.
She said the initial resettlement land contained no housing for workers, no farmhouse, a broken borehole and either broken or non- existent fencing.
In a statement yesterday, AR leader Job Amupanda said Walters' efforts must be celebrated and were the result of relentless efforts to fight for the poor, against the corruption of the rich.
He also called upon all Namibians, in particular AR supporters, to attend the public hearings and submit facts and evidence.
“We have established that the corrupt elite, who have been plotting against the ombudsman, are planning to ensure that these hearings fail. Let's not allow the elites and the zombies to fail this process of the masses of our people. Previously, the ombudsman did not have the necessary support and confidence of society,” Amupanda said.
He also called on AR activists to mobilise society to ensure the process is successful.
“Our perspective is that many landless Namibians saw how relatives of governors, who are chairpersons of resettlement committees, and other members of the resettlement committees, gave farms to their children, relatives and elites outside the provisions and spirit of both the laws and policies,” said Amupanda.
He added there were many cases where farms were given to people who did not meet the criteria. Therefore, land activists and landless people must make clear submissions on this conduct and how requirements were flouted to favour the political elite and their relatives.
“All resettlement farm applicants who applied and were never informed of the outcome must submit their names and all details related to the date when they applied. Let us put this on record,” he said.
JEMIMA BEUKES
The public hearings will take place on 3 July at Mariental, 5 July at Gobabis, 10 July at Otjiwarongo, 11 July at Karibib, 24 July at Keetmanshoop and 26 and 27 July in Windhoek.
They follow the launch of full-scale investigation by Walters into the government's land resettlement process. He has also requested a master list of beneficiaries from the land reform ministry.
Walters's investigation follows the awarding of a resettlement farm to the widow of late struggle icon Andimba Herman Toivo Ya Toivo, who was already resettled in 2015 on Gross Otjomune, a resettlement farm in the Erongo Region.
In March this year the lands ministry revealed in a tiny newspaper notice that Vicki Erenstein Ya Toivo would be resettled on unit A of Farm Joyce, which measures
2 376 hectares and is situated in the Omaheke Region.
Erenstein Ya Toivo said at the time she had applied for the land, but that it was a continuation of efforts made her late husband to secure a suitable resettlement farm, as the initial one was too far from Windhoek and in a very poor condition.
She said the initial resettlement land contained no housing for workers, no farmhouse, a broken borehole and either broken or non- existent fencing.
In a statement yesterday, AR leader Job Amupanda said Walters' efforts must be celebrated and were the result of relentless efforts to fight for the poor, against the corruption of the rich.
He also called upon all Namibians, in particular AR supporters, to attend the public hearings and submit facts and evidence.
“We have established that the corrupt elite, who have been plotting against the ombudsman, are planning to ensure that these hearings fail. Let's not allow the elites and the zombies to fail this process of the masses of our people. Previously, the ombudsman did not have the necessary support and confidence of society,” Amupanda said.
He also called on AR activists to mobilise society to ensure the process is successful.
“Our perspective is that many landless Namibians saw how relatives of governors, who are chairpersons of resettlement committees, and other members of the resettlement committees, gave farms to their children, relatives and elites outside the provisions and spirit of both the laws and policies,” said Amupanda.
He added there were many cases where farms were given to people who did not meet the criteria. Therefore, land activists and landless people must make clear submissions on this conduct and how requirements were flouted to favour the political elite and their relatives.
“All resettlement farm applicants who applied and were never informed of the outcome must submit their names and all details related to the date when they applied. Let us put this on record,” he said.
JEMIMA BEUKES
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