Residents from Oshetu One informal settlement in Okahandja have warned that if the government cannot give them land, they will get it “through the ballot paper” in the November elections.

The group’s spokesperson, /Gerub Gaseb, in an interview with Nampa on Thursday said they plan to form an organisation called ‘Promise Land Association’ to contest the local authority and regional council elections set for 25 November 2020.

Gaseb was responding to Otjozondjupa governor, James Uerikua, who addressed the residents on Wednesday and announced that he had a fruitful discussion with Urban and Rural Development Minister Erastus Uutoni. They agreed that government will roll out an accelerated land-delivery programme through a vetting process which will determine who is in need of land, in so doing eliminating chancers.

“Before the land is occupied a survey must be done, which the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development has committed to start immediately,” Uerikua said.

However, Gaseb said in as much as they acknowledge the governor’s intervention for responding to their land demand, they feel it is a “political ploy” and want nothing to do with it, as they “can no longer trust the government.”

He said the group will do things in its own way and allocate land to themselves in a legal manner after they win the elections.

“Government is trying to play tik tok and they want to politicise this, there are also other political parties who want to jump on the bandwagon. We know it’s an election year, but they will be disappointed, we are going to spoil their votes because they won’t get votes from here. If the government can’t give us land through negotiations, then we will get it through the ballot paper,” said Gaseb.

He stated that the governor also cannot be trusted because he is part of the government which has been denying them access to land for years.

“The governor must not be used, he is a political appointee. Even though we acknowledge that he is the political head of the region, he is not part of the local authority and set-up here,” Gaseb said.

When contacted for comment on Friday, Uerikua said the government is committed to the programme and it is not taking these measures to ingratiate itself with citizens. He said people should understand that it is “business unusual” because the government needs to give the people their dignity back. – Nampa