Dozens more farms face expropriation

AT least a dozen more farms, including one where President Sam Nujoma undertook a hunting expedition last year, have been served with expropriation notices.

Minister of Lands, Resettlement and Rehabilitation, Hifikepunye Pohamba, yesterday confirmed that “many” farms had been targeted, but was unable to give the exact figure. “Yes, indeed we have started implementing the law,” Pohamba said at a press conference in Windhoek.”We have issued many [notices].I cannot remember how many… but I can tell you they are many.”The move has drawn sharp criticism from some quarters, and a cautious reception from others.The Namibia Agricultural Union (NAU), the biggest association of commercial farmers, said it would support the process although it said it was disappointed with the way it had started.NAU President, Jan de Wet, said the union had expected the first moves to be made before the upcoming extraordinary Swapo Congress which will choose a successor to President Sam Nujoma.However, he noted, the NAU was still waiting for Government clarity on the expropriation criteria.De Wet said a meeting would be held next week with owners of farms targeted so that a team of legal, evaluation and business experts would be set up to assist NAU members through “expropriation procedures”.The experts would help give all farmers peace of mind, he said.”We have always accepted that expropriation is going to take place,” said De Wet.”But we have to manage it in such a way that it does not disturb the country.”De Wet was careful not to strongly criticise the first Government notices to expropriate farms, pointing out that the Land Conference held in 1991 stated that unproductive farms and those held by foreigners should be first in line.The NAU President said he knew of four farms that had received the notices, but expected the list to grow to more than 10 in the next few days.These farms appear to be mainly where labour relations have been strained and from which workers have been evicted.”As far as we are concerned these farms do not fall under the category of under-used and unproductive farms,” said De Wet.He said three of the four farms were cattle producers, while the troubled Ongombo West exports flowers.The Namibian understands that a game farm outside Otjiwarongo that belongs to a Belgian, had also been served with a notice.President Nujoma spent a few days at Ozondjahe last year hunting game on the farm.The farm owner could not be reached for comment yesterday.”We are going into the process very responsibly… and ensuring that our members are not harmed,” said De Wet.Sigi Eimbeck of the Namibian Farmers’ Support Initiative (NFSI) described the notices as “worrying”.”We are not against expropriation, [but] expropriation as it is now is for political expediency,” said Eimbeck.”If the President calls a farmer a criminal and a few days later he is served with an expropriation notice, it is sad.I don’t know where it’s going to end,” said Eimbeck, referring to Nujoma’s outburst on May Day that Ongombo West would be taken.Pohamba “dismissed” suggestions that he had started with expropriation to boost his chances of being elected President Nujoma’s successor at the party’s Congress in two weeks.Speaking to The Namibian yesterday, Pohamba complained that the use of the word “seizure” in reference to expropriation was “wrong” as it scared people who viewed it as meaning an illegal move.Pohamba stressed that land would be taken in accordance with the law.The Namibian Constitution dictates that “just compensation” be paid for property that is expropriated.”Yes, indeed we have started implementing the law,” Pohamba said at a press conference in Windhoek.”We have issued many [notices].I cannot remember how many… but I can tell you they are many.”The move has drawn sharp criticism from some quarters, and a cautious reception from others.The Namibia Agricultural Union (NAU), the biggest association of commercial farmers, said it would support the process although it said it was disappointed with the way it had started.NAU President, Jan de Wet, said the union had expected the first moves to be made before the upcoming extraordinary Swapo Congress which will choose a successor to President Sam Nujoma.However, he noted, the NAU was still waiting for Government clarity on the expropriation criteria.De Wet said a meeting would be held next week with owners of farms targeted so that a team of legal, evaluation and business experts would be set up to assist NAU members through “expropriation procedures”.The experts would help give all farmers peace of mind, he said.”We have always accepted that expropriation is going to take place,” said De Wet.”But we have to manage it in such a way that it does not disturb the country.”De Wet was careful not to strongly criticise the first Government notices to expropriate farms, pointing out that the Land Conference held in 1991 stated that unproductive farms and those held by foreigners should be first in line.The NAU President said he knew of four farms that had received the notices, but expected the list to grow to more than 10 in the next few days.These farms appear to be mainly where labour relations have been strained and from which workers have been evicted.”As far as we are concerned these farms do not fall under the category of under-used and unproductive farms,” said De Wet.He said three of the four farms were cattle producers, while the troubled Ongombo West exports flowers.The Namibian understands that a game farm outside Otjiwarongo that belongs to a Belgian, had also been served with a notice.President Nujoma spent a few days at Ozondjahe last year hunting game on the farm.The farm owner could not be reached for comment yesterday.”We are going into the process very responsibly… and ensuring that our members are not harmed,” said De Wet.Sigi Eimbeck of the Namibian Farmers’ Support Initiative (NFSI) described the notices as “worrying”.”We are not against expropriation, [but] expropriation as it is now is for political expediency,” said Eimbeck.”If the President calls a farmer a criminal and a few days later he is served with an expropriation notice, it is sad.I don’t know where it’s going to end,” said Eimbeck, referring to Nujoma’s outburst on May Day that Ongombo West would be taken.Pohamba “dismissed” suggestions that he had started with expropriation to boost his chances of being elected President Nujoma’s successor at the party’s Congress in two weeks.Speaking to The Namibian yesterday, Pohamba complained that the use of the word “seizure” in reference to expropriation was “wrong” as it scared people who viewed it as meaning an illegal move.Pohamba stressed that land would be taken in accordance with the law.The Namibian Constitution dictates that “just compensation” be paid for property that is expropriated.