Utoni is honourable - SPYL

Swapo Party Youth League (SPYL) secretary Ephraim Nekongo yesterday moved to shoot down ongoing criticism of land reform minister Utoni Nujoma, saying he is an honourable man with no ill-intentions. Nujoma has endured a barrage of criticism following an edited interview he gave that appeared as part the eNCA's series 'The Land Question' that looks at how African countries are handling the issue of land and its distribution. During the interview, Nujoma asked how a poor person would run an expensive farm if granted one, and said that the government ideally wanted to resettle people who could contribute to the economy. He also made some startling remarks, including that compromises had to be made with the West and the South African apartheid regime to negotiate Namibia's independence, as guerrilla fighters were tired of staying in the bush. Among these compromises were ensuring existing individual property rights and the acceptance of the willing seller, willing buyer policy, after pressure from the Western Contact Group.Nujoma has since insisted the South African news network deliberately quoted him out of context in order to tarnish his image. He also strangely denied using the word 'poor', although he is clearly heard doing so in the eNCA interview that was broadcast last Thursday. The dust has refused to settle, both in the mainstream and on social media. During an SPYL press briefing yesterday, Nekongo said the eNCA interview was a trap and the minister's responses on government programmes was omitted. Nekongo was responding to a question on what the youth wing's position is on Nujoma's remark, which overtly suggested that poor people cannot be given an expensive farm. According to Nekongo the youth wing's position is that vulnerable people must be given land, but that they should first be capacitated. Nekongo said he has engaged the minister and “it is clear that he was misquoted”. “They only brought in their trap - those South Africans. However, he has apologised for the remarks. It is an honourable thing that he has done.” “It is not true that Swapo is not there for poor people. We are here to make sure we are representing our people and to solve their problems,” said Nekongo. Early this week, Land People's Movement (LPM) leader Bernadus Swartbooi boasted that they have invited South African media to expose the Namibian government's failure to deliver land to poor people. “Utoni walked right into that trap,” said Swartbooi. Nujoma has since said he would never denigrate anyone and never had any intention to offend people. “It is unfortunate and I am saying sorry to those that feel I have offended them - I am sorry.” He has also requested unedited footage from the South African news channel, which he said will be distributed to local media. “If we knew prior to the interview that they were busy with these pressure groups then would have considered our interview in a different format. We were talking about our vulnerable communities and that we have programmes, unfortunately those programmes were never showed in the interview,” said Nujoma. “In fact, that interview was not fair. It was taken out of context. It was deliberately done to tarnish my image. Our government has programmes in place for everyone. We even have the Harambee Prosperity Plan where we are giving people food from the food bank.” In the continuing fallout, Affirmative Repositioning movement leader called on President Hage Geingob to call Nujoma to order for saying poor people could be given expensive resettlement farms. Amupanda also demanded that the president order Nujoma to apologise within 24 hours, as he had done with Nujoma's former deputy, Swartbooi. Geingob fired Swartbooi after he had refused apologise publicly for comments he had made against Nujoma at Hoachanas two years ago. The presidency has remained silent on the Nujoma issue. Nekongo added yesterday the newly appointed young wing think tank will soon have a comprehensive position paper on the land question. The think tank members are Gerhard Ndafenongo, Tuna Willem, Jason Kasuto, Ian Subasubani, Gisela Gomachas and Anel van der Vyver.JEMIMA BEUKES

Utoni is honourable - SPYL

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Namibian Sun 2025-10-14

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Utoni is honourable - SPYL

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Namibian Sun 2025-10-14

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