Land reform on Namibia's list
2004-11-17 10:51
Windhoek - Namibia's president-in-waiting Hifikepunye Pohamba says expropriations of white farmers are "going to happen" in the Southern African country but pledges to "talk, talk, talk" to make them as painless as possible.
In an interview, Pohamba portrayed himself as a man of dialogue who is sensitive to the impact that land reform can have on people's lives in this country of 1.82 million people.
"What we believe is just talk, talk, talk. If you don't talk you won't be able to find a solution. This we have said to ourselves, is the issue, keeping talking one to another," said Pohamba during the interview in Windhoek on Tuesday from his office.
The 69-year-old leader is all but certain to step into the shoes of founding president and fellow struggle veteran, Sam Nujoma, in power since Namibia's independence from apartheid South African rule in 1990.
Pohamba heading for victory
Pohamba was headed for victory following elections on Monday and Tuesday that were also set to hand the ruling South West African People's Organisation (SWAPO) a strong majority in parliament.
Currently the lands minister, Pohamba will be facing his biggest test of leadership with land reform, conscious that he must address fears of a Zimbabwe-style land grab in his country.
Around 4 000 farmers, the majority of whom are white, own 44% of arable land, an imbalance the government has vowed to redress with compensation and a peaceful transfer of land ownership.
"No land has been expropriated yet, but letters have been sent, it's going to happen," he said.
"You have to listen to the people when they talk," Pohamba said using the example of a farmer, who came with his wife and his children, saying that they had nowhere to go after selling their farm to the government.
"Then you say: 'OK should I let them go on the road like other farmers have been doing to the farm workers. It will be inhuman if I do this'."
Nujoma, 75, said in October that 192 farms will be expropriated with compensation during the next five years, while Pohamba in June sent some 20 letters telling white farmers to set a price for the sale of their property to the state.
Pohamba said that priorities for the next years would be to foster "peace and stability" to ensure economic growth and develop education. Some 30%t of children are still not being educated.
"Peace is the most important thing - it's one of the main achievements since independence. Peace is the foundation of everything we want to do in this country," the minister said.
"When I see other countries, particularly African countries, I feel that what we have done here is more than others that have been independent for the last 40 years."
Pohamba admits that Namibia, where 30% of the population don't have jobs and nearly half of inhabitants live below the poverty line, "has poverty, has unemployment."