Unrecognised traditional authorities ‘a major headache for Government’

LANDS and Resettlement Minister Hifikepunye Pohamba says the issue of unrecognised traditional authorities is a headache for his Ministry when it comes to implementing the Communal Land Reform Act.

“This issue must be resolved,” he told traditional leaders attending the annual meeting of the Council of Traditional Leaders in Windhoek last week. Pohamba said the meeting was the right platform for resolving it.Referring specifically to the functions of Communal Land Boards and traditional leaders, Pohamba said although traditional leaders have allocated land fairly in the past, some individuals feel they are at times unfair and biased.He said it was against this background that the Communal Land Reform Act was introduced so that there can be a uniform process for the whole country.The Act, he said, empowers land boards and traditional authorities to see to it that land is given fairly and within the law.All 12 Land Boards have already been established.The Khomas Region does not have a Land Board, as there is no communal land in the region.The duties of the Land Boards are to control customary land rights, to establish a communal land management network and to keep records of all portions of land given to people by traditional authorities.Pohamba said traditional authorities are expected to investigate land disputes in communal areas, conduct hearings on customary land rights and to cancel communal land rights that were granted in contravention of the Communal Land Reform Act.The 12 Land Boards comprise 106 members, 65 of whom are women.Forty recognised traditional authorities, six gazetted conservancies, as well as the ministries of Local Government, Agriculture and Environment and Tourism, are represented on the Boards.Pohamba said the meeting was the right platform for resolving it.Referring specifically to the functions of Communal Land Boards and traditional leaders, Pohamba said although traditional leaders have allocated land fairly in the past, some individuals feel they are at times unfair and biased.He said it was against this background that the Communal Land Reform Act was introduced so that there can be a uniform process for the whole country.The Act, he said, empowers land boards and traditional authorities to see to it that land is given fairly and within the law.All 12 Land Boards have already been established.The Khomas Region does not have a Land Board, as there is no communal land in the region.The duties of the Land Boards are to control customary land rights, to establish a communal land management network and to keep records of all portions of land given to people by traditional authorities.Pohamba said traditional authorities are expected to investigate land disputes in communal areas, conduct hearings on customary land rights and to cancel communal land rights that were granted in contravention of the Communal Land Reform Act.The 12 Land Boards comprise 106 members, 65 of whom are women.Forty recognised traditional authorities, six gazetted conservancies, as well as the ministries of Local Government, Agriculture and Environment and Tourism, are represented on the Boards.