Nujoma sounds warning on land

The Namibian government might change its willing-seller-willing-buyer policy if it failed to serve its purpose, the ‘Namibian’ quoted President Sam Nujoma saying on Friday. The newspaper said Nujoma made the remark at the opening of the Namibia National Farmers Union (NNFU) three-day congress when communal farmers called for the president’s “direct intervention” in the protracted land redistribution in the country.

“I take note of your concerns. If it (the willing-buyer-willing-seller policy) does not work, it (the policy) might be changed. We will change our policies with regard to our experiences,” said the president.
Nujoma said it was the commercial farmers’ duty to ensure that they gave their full support to government initiatives aimed at improving the living and socio-economic conditions of those who were disadvantaged by previous political regimes.

NNFU acting-president Pintile Davids was quoted saying that commercial farmers had pushed up the cost of land “to an extent that we the black communal land farmers of this country will never be able to access land”. He said there was no relationship between the actual agricultural production value and the market value of land. He warned that the land issue needed immediate redress to avert the problems being experienced in Zimbabwe. “Our generations will blame us if we do not do anything to redress the situation,” Davids was quoted saying.