Windhoek
The ruling party Swapo yesterday failed to pitch for a meeting it had allegedly arranged with the Affirmative Repositioning (AR) movement.
Similarly, the Namibian police also called off a press conference slated for today where the police chief was scheduled to address the media on AR and its plans to spearhead nationwide mass land occupations.
The much-hyped meeting between Swapo and AR was scheduled three weeks before thousands of landless Namibians plan to forcefully occupy land across the country.
“Yes, we were supposed to meet them [AR] but we had to cancel the meeting because Honourable Pendukeni [Iivula-Ithana] is out of the country. She was held up in Germany and is still due to arrive in Namibia,” said Attorney General Sacky
Shanghala, who was among several high-profile leaders tasked by the Swapo politburo to meet AR land activists yesterday.
Contacted for comment, Iivula-Ithana said: “I am abroad and I am not sure if the meeting was scheduled for today.”
Yesterday’s meeting was called by a committee of the Swapo politburo, chaired by Iivula-Ithana.
One of the AR founders, Dimbulukeni Nauyoma, told New Era that they went to the proposed venue and waited for more than an hour in vain, adding that nobody informed them that the meeting was cancelled.
The meeting was aimed at reaching consensus on how to deal with the land issue and subsequently avert the planned mass land occupations.
AR leaders yesterday at a press conference expressed dismay with the party’s last-minute decision to cancel the agreed dialogue.
“We find it rather unfortunate that the ruling party, having had eight months of meaningful engagement, chose only to engage AR in the ninth month, a few weeks before we occupy land,” said the AR trio of Nauyoma, George Kambala and Job Amupanda in a statement.
The trio said the planned land occupation would only be called off if government makes a commitment in the form of a contract to avail land to Namibians.
Security experts have in recent months warned that illegal land occupation could threaten the country’s peace.
As July 31 draws closer, New Era understands that the country’s security apparatus is busy devising strategies to avert any chaos.
Namibian Police Inspector General Sebastian Ndeitunga yesterday cancelled a press conference that was supposed to take place today, where he was expected to address the AR issue.
It seems the press conference was called off to accord law and security apparatuses time to have wider consultations on how to deal with the planned land occupations.
Ndeitunga yesterday said he would soon meet with all 14 regional police commanders to find ways to prepare for July 31.
“Meeting regional commanders is in the pipeline already – we are in charge of security. We just need the laws to be respected, people should not take it for granted,” he said.
“We have no problem with those demanding their rights through established procedures, but those who want to tear up the Constitution will not be tolerated,” warned the police chief.