Minister of agriculture, water and land reform Calle Schlettwein says the drafting of Namibia’s land bill is taking shape, although it has been a complicated journey.
Speaking in the parliament on Monday, he said the process has involved extensive consultations and a commitment to creating a fairer landownership landscape for Namibia since 2007.
“The process of developing the land bill commenced in 2007, and the ministry conducted regional consultations in 2010 to garner inputs and comments from all stakeholders to enrich the bill,” he said.
“Among other key stakeholders consulted were various ministries, traditional authorities, farmers’ unions, conservancies, and non-governmental organisations.”
Schlettwein said this inclusive approach was aimed at enriching the land bill with diverse perspectives and ensuring it addressed the real needs of the population.
Following these consultations, the draft land bill was presented to the parliament in 2017, alongside preparations for the second national land conference.
“I am pleased to indicate that the resolutions of the watershed second national land conference are included in the land bill. The legal drafting of the land bill commenced in 2020.
“After a lengthy close collaboration with the Ministry of Justice, the land bill was cleared by the Cabinet Committee of Legislation,” he said.
Namibia has faced the challenge of overcoming a deeply entrenched and inequitable land ownership structure since 1990.
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