Ashipala 201065630

Politics of Land in Namibia

Introduction

In Namibia nothing is more likely to cause more argument and debate than the ‘land issue’ . Land has become synonymous with a situation where less than 10% of the people control nearly half the land, while a further 65% of the population live off 41% of the total area The fact that the former 10% are white and largely derived from European settlers, adds racial and political dimensions to the issue. But there are also other land issues that interconnect with how land is distributed:

The limited agricultural potential of the land and its vulnerability to desertification means that large areas cannot support crop farming.

In those ’state land’ areas that are communally farmed, the lack of secure tenure over the resources does nothing to encourage environmentally sound practices that will ensure the land does not degrade.

Without secure tenure rights, the incentive to develop is lessened and the ability to secure private capital greatly reduced.

Government policies regarding land are often confusing and with four Ministries responsible for ‘land’ (MLRR,MAWRD, MRLGH and MET) co-ordination of policy objectives and activities has been difficult.

Zimbabwe Context

Recent events in Zimbabwe where land has been confiscated and reallocated without sufficient regard to its effects on food production or economic growth, makes the debate on land distribution in Namibia even more pertinent.

Pertinent Questions to ask

Why should land be redistributed?

Can it be done in a manner that is according to a shared and agreed policy, transparent and without violence and corruption?

How can Namibia avoid disrupting its tourism and general economy in the process?

History of land tenure in Namibia

To understand more about these issues we have to explore the history of land tenure, reform and resettlement. The history of land tenure Under German colonial rule and later under South African administration (1883-1989), much of Namibia's land was taken away from its indigenous peoples. The country was divided along north-south borders, known as the Red Line. This infamous separating line effectively kept black Namibians out of commercial farming and promoted apartheid policies. The southern 'ancestral' lands fell under the white ownership of Germans and South Africans, while the north remained with black Namibians. The land was taken mainly from Herero, Nama and Damara communities. Thus in total about 50% of Namibia's land was white-owned in contrast to 43% black owned, the rest of the land constituted national parks. Approximately 10% of the Namibian population were directly affected by colonial land grabbing as most black Namibians lived in the North of the country, where most if not all of the fertile land was to be found. This inequality of land distribution fuelled much of the drive to end colonialism and apartheid rule in Namibia.

References

Bernstein, H. 2002. "Land reform: Taking a long(er) view." Journal of Agrarian Change 2(4):433-463.

Kinsey, B. H., 1999, ‘Land Reform Growth and Equity: Emerging Evidence from Zimbabwe's Resttlement Programme.’ Journal of Southern African Studies, Vol. 25, No. 2, June 1999: 173 - 196.

Werner, W., 2003, Land Reform, Income Inequality and Poverty Alleviation in Namibia. Bank of Namibia 5th Annual Symposium Publication. Windhoek: Bank of Namibia