2017-10-10Staff Report 2 Matheus Hamutenya Keetmanshoop-It is the duty of local and regional government to ensure residents have access to residential land in order to avoid unnecessary conflict and tension. This is according to Swapo //Kharas regional coordinator Matheus Mumbala, who said it should be a priority for local authorities and regional councils to ensure people have access to land so as to avoid unwanted tension between the electorate and leaders. Speaking at a belated Heroes Day celebration at Noordower on Saturday, Mumbala said Swapo leaders must do all they can and work with government to ensure that people have land to prevent land grabbing and the mushrooming of illegal structures in towns. He said //Kharas Regional Council and local authorities in the region have a duty and obligation to avail land to the residents. He said this would end land grabbing, saying incidents like the drama in Katima Mulilo, where the town council destroyed residents’ homes could be prevented if land was availed to the residents. “We, as leaders of the ruling party, must at all cost do our utmost best, together with government, to avoid situations similar to that which happened in Katima Mulilo,” he said. Mumbala further condemned the destruction of homes by Katima Mulilo Town Council over the past two weeks, saying it was unacceptable and inhumane. He said those who continue to do that deserve to be punished by Namibia’s heroes and heroines, who fought against similar colonial style of ruling. He said the fight for independence was not only about gaining freedom to govern, but means much more, as people must have access to education and land, amongst other things. “It is unacceptable and inhumane. Our liberation struggle was not only for independence and freedom, it was a full package, independence, freedom, justice, land and so on,” he said of the Katima Mulilo situation. He also denounced the classification and discrimination of people based on their economic status, saying there should be no rich and poor, as everyone should be treated equally and be given the same service, irrespective of socio-economic status. 2017-10-10Staff Report 2
