Oshikoto also says no to ancestral land
The Oshikoto Region has joined the call by Ohangwena Region for the land reform ministry not to entertain ancestral land discussions.
This was resolved by the public consultations on land reform that took place at Omuthiya last week as the lands ministry continues to hold meetings across the country.
Oshikoto land stakeholders, who comprised traditional leaders, regional councillors, regional government officials and community members, said the ancestral land call is promoting Bantustans which the country fought against.
The gathering, through a dialogue discussion resolved that “ancestral land means that the Aawambo must be in Owamboland, the Kavango stay in Kavangoland, and so on with all other tribes. This will also go to the extent of saying the Aakwambi must only be in Uukwambi and Aandonga must be only in Ondonga or the Kwangari must only be in Uukwangari and Mbukushu must only be in Mbukushuland. This is wrong because people fought for this land so that they can settle wherever they want to.
“Unless chapter three of our constitution is amended, ancestral land calls should not be entertained. The constitution made a provision that anybody has the right to settle anywhere in the country.”
However, the also meeting suggested the resettlement policy be reviewed. They said that some resettled farmers do not have resources, but they are given large pieces of land that they cannot manage, while those with resources and able to manage these farms are given smaller pieces of land.
“This is how we end up having a situation of either under-utilised and unproductive farms or over-utilised farms. The ministry must first assess beneficiaries before settling them. If one is allocated land and fails to use it within a certain period of time then the land must be recalled.”
Oshikoto Region is divided between the communal area on the north of the red line and the commercial area in the south. The gathering felt that only those in communal areas were well represented, while the land or farm owners in the commercial area were not present at the consultative meeting.
The conference said that the government has only bought 513 farms through the willing-buyer-willing seller policy and they cost a lot of money, making it impossible for the concept to succeed. They said that farmers are acting on their own whims to set their own prices.
“Where are the white landowners of Oshikoto Region? They are not part of this conference and how do we expect them to sensitise themselves when selling land to government? The price of the land should be determined by the value of the land. Some farms are in places where the land is not that valuable but landowners are still asking a lot of money,” participant said.
On the issue of the red line that divides the region, representatives of the ministry of agriculture said that the red line will always be there as long as there is free movement of animals between Namibia and Angola. They said that Namibian cattle graze in Angola and return to Namibia. They said that Angolan authorities do not enforce animal disease control mechanisms as Namibians do and furthermore, there are buffalo roaming free in Angola and getting into contact with Namibian cattle.
The red line must be there to control animal diseases. What needs to be done is the enforcement of quarantine camps in communal areas for farmers who wish to sell their animals south of the red line.
ILENI NANDJATO
This was resolved by the public consultations on land reform that took place at Omuthiya last week as the lands ministry continues to hold meetings across the country.
Oshikoto land stakeholders, who comprised traditional leaders, regional councillors, regional government officials and community members, said the ancestral land call is promoting Bantustans which the country fought against.
The gathering, through a dialogue discussion resolved that “ancestral land means that the Aawambo must be in Owamboland, the Kavango stay in Kavangoland, and so on with all other tribes. This will also go to the extent of saying the Aakwambi must only be in Uukwambi and Aandonga must be only in Ondonga or the Kwangari must only be in Uukwangari and Mbukushu must only be in Mbukushuland. This is wrong because people fought for this land so that they can settle wherever they want to.
“Unless chapter three of our constitution is amended, ancestral land calls should not be entertained. The constitution made a provision that anybody has the right to settle anywhere in the country.”
However, the also meeting suggested the resettlement policy be reviewed. They said that some resettled farmers do not have resources, but they are given large pieces of land that they cannot manage, while those with resources and able to manage these farms are given smaller pieces of land.
“This is how we end up having a situation of either under-utilised and unproductive farms or over-utilised farms. The ministry must first assess beneficiaries before settling them. If one is allocated land and fails to use it within a certain period of time then the land must be recalled.”
Oshikoto Region is divided between the communal area on the north of the red line and the commercial area in the south. The gathering felt that only those in communal areas were well represented, while the land or farm owners in the commercial area were not present at the consultative meeting.
The conference said that the government has only bought 513 farms through the willing-buyer-willing seller policy and they cost a lot of money, making it impossible for the concept to succeed. They said that farmers are acting on their own whims to set their own prices.
“Where are the white landowners of Oshikoto Region? They are not part of this conference and how do we expect them to sensitise themselves when selling land to government? The price of the land should be determined by the value of the land. Some farms are in places where the land is not that valuable but landowners are still asking a lot of money,” participant said.
On the issue of the red line that divides the region, representatives of the ministry of agriculture said that the red line will always be there as long as there is free movement of animals between Namibia and Angola. They said that Namibian cattle graze in Angola and return to Namibia. They said that Angolan authorities do not enforce animal disease control mechanisms as Namibians do and furthermore, there are buffalo roaming free in Angola and getting into contact with Namibian cattle.
The red line must be there to control animal diseases. What needs to be done is the enforcement of quarantine camps in communal areas for farmers who wish to sell their animals south of the red line.
ILENI NANDJATO
Comments
Namibian Sun
No comments have been left on this article