‘No turning back on expropriation’

GOVERNMENT will press ahead with its planned expropriation of commercial farms for redistribution to landless blacks, despite fears that it could degenerate into lawlessness as happened in neighbouring Zimbabwe.

President Sam Nujoma told the 14th Independence Anniversary celebrations at Walvis Bay on Sunday that land reform remained a key challenge and was hampering Government’s otherwise positive achievements in various socio-economic areas. He declared that the envisaged expropriation of farms was part of “deliberate steps to bring about equitable land reform and its redistribution to landless citizens”.”The Government has now decided to exercise its discretion to implement this measure (land expropriation) within the framework of our Constitution and other relevant laws,” Nujoma said.The President was making his first public comments on the move since it was announced by Prime Minister Theo-Ben Gurirab towards the end of last month.Nujoma also lamented the scourge of the HIV-AIDS pandemic and rising crime as some of the phenomena that had reversed the country’s “positive gains” since Independence.”HIV-AIDS continues to ravage our country, and the vices of crime remains a source of concern,” the Head of State said.”We can only reverse these problems by acting with unity of purpose.”He continued: “Indeed, these challenges represent a call to action by all Namibians and we must prevail and win in the face of these internal enemies.”Nujoma briefly enthused about the security forces “swift and firm” suppression of the 1999 secessionist attack at Katima Mulilo and banditry attacks in the Kavango and Ohangwena Regions and vowed to defend Namibia’s “territorial integrity against anyone who dares violate it”.Nujoma, whose term of office as president ends in March next year, failed to counter persistent speculation on whether he would run for re-election at the end of this year.He only said: “We are looking forward to the holding of landmark elections this year such as the Presidential, National Assembly, Regional Councils’ and Local Authorities elections.”The occasion also marked the 10th anniversary of the re-integration of Walvis Bay and the offshore islands into Namibia.Nujoma pointed out that the harbour town’s return had been a catalyst of more than N$80 million in foreign direct investments into Namibia through the Export Processing Zone.He declared that the envisaged expropriation of farms was part of “deliberate steps to bring about equitable land reform and its redistribution to landless citizens”.”The Government has now decided to exercise its discretion to implement this measure (land expropriation) within the framework of our Constitution and other relevant laws,” Nujoma said.The President was making his first public comments on the move since it was announced by Prime Minister Theo-Ben Gurirab towards the end of last month.Nujoma also lamented the scourge of the HIV-AIDS pandemic and rising crime as some of the phenomena that had reversed the country’s “positive gains” since Independence.”HIV-AIDS continues to ravage our country, and the vices of crime remains a source of concern,” the Head of State said.”We can only reverse these problems by acting with unity of purpose.”He continued: “Indeed, these challenges represent a call to action by all Namibians and we must prevail and win in the face of these internal enemies.”Nujoma briefly enthused about the security forces “swift and firm” suppression of the 1999 secessionist attack at Katima Mulilo and banditry attacks in the Kavango and Ohangwena Regions and vowed to defend Namibia’s “territorial integrity against anyone who dares violate it”.Nujoma, whose term of office as president ends in March next year, failed to counter persistent speculation on whether he would run for re-election at the end of this year.He only said: “We are looking forward to the holding of landmark elections this year such as the Presidential, National Assembly, Regional Councils’ and Local Authorities elections.”The occasion also marked the 10th anniversary of the re-integration of Walvis Bay and the offshore islands into Namibia.Nujoma pointed out that the harbour town’s return had been a catalyst of more than N$80 million in foreign direct investments into Namibia through the Export Processing Zone.