KATIMA MULILO – The Katima Mulilo Town Council has not yet received the mass land applications under the affirmative repositioning movement that took place nationwide last Friday because of unforeseen delays.
The movement, led by land activist Job Amupanda, wants to address the critical shortage of urban land, specifically for the youth, by encouraging them to submit land applications en masse with the hope of securing their own shelter.
When this reporter visited the Katima Mulilo Town Council offices on Friday, the process was very slow. By closing time, some people were still handing in their applications, which prompted the regional organisers to extend the submission time to allow everyone to hand in their applications.
This did not go down well with the council’s management that requested the process to proceed outside its premises.
According to Ricky Sipapela, the co-ordinator for the mass land application in Zambezi, the target for the region was at least 500 applications, but the region exceeded that target by reaching 720 applications.
Sipapela noted a lack of information could be one of the reasons for the slow start, adding that only those on social media platforms were properly informed.
“People were not well informed, they only started showing up in numbers during closing time forcing us to extend the time. The town council could not allow us to receive applications on their premises, as it was closing time for them so we decided to take it elsewhere. We managed to get 720 applications, which will be handed over by Monday,” stated Sipapela last Friday.
He further noted applications were received from all sections of society and not just the youth.
“We got applications from all kinds of people. We are all in need of land,” said Sipapela.
Katima Mulilo Town Council chief executive officer, Charles Nawa confirmed not receiving any applications.
“We just allowed them, with the presence of the Namibian Police, to conduct their business on our premises but we don’t have their applications up to now. They said people were still handing in their applications by deadline. The applications are still with them and we advised them to do it outside our premises,” stated Nawa.
Asked whether land applications through affirmative repositioning will receive any special treatment, Nawa noted no special attention will be accorded to any application, adding the authority was already inundated with applications from all sections of society.
“There is no special treatment whatsoever. We will continue with our programme. We have our list already. Last year alone we received over 1 200 applications,” explained Nawa.
According to Nawa, it was impossible to give land to everyone at the same time, questioning whether the youth applicants would have the means to develop the land. “It is impossible to give land to everyone. The situation of land is critical. We are already struggling as a local authority. And some of the people that are applying are unemployed, if you give them land, do they have the means to develop the land?” he enquired.
Nawa further stated that Katima Mulilo Town Council would not be put in any kind of pressure and that its blueprint was its strategic plan.
“We are not even fazed by their deadline, it will come and pass. We are working according to our strategic plan,” noted Nawa.
The mass land application exercise is a brain child of youth activist and former Swapo Youth League (SPYL) secretary for information Amupanda and the deadline for responses has been set on the July 31 this year.