WINDHOEK – Over 100 young people yesterday demonstrated in front of the Windhoek mayor’s office where they demanded residential land, saying it is their “birth right”.
The youths who demonstrated during lunchtime were led by the ‘Bring Down the House’ group that also wants the prices of houses in Namibia to come down.
Their protests follow the demonstration over land by suspended Swapo Party Youth League (SPYL) spokesman Job Amupanda who called for “affirmative repositioning” of land and demonstrated by sitting in on empty land in the upper class Windhoek suburb of Kleine Kuppe.
House prices in Namibia are so high that the country is second only to Dubai when it comes to property costs.
The demonstrators chanted slogans and toyi-toyied with posters written: “The time is now! We want land, it’s our birth right.” Another read “Fire Kafula,” while another appealed for a reduction in house prices.
Windhoek Mayor Agnes Kafula has of late been in the news after it emerged she reportedly allocated a piece of land worth N$8 million for N$5 million to a company owned by her son David Kafula.
She was also accused of allocating a residential plot to 2013 Big Brother winner Dillish Mathews on the grounds that Mathews “is special.”
The group chanted and sang, “We are special too.” “I want to start a family and I cannot keep renting,” stated another of the placards brandished by the group.
Reading the petition in the absence of Windhoek City Council officials and on behalf of the youthful protesters, Xungi Kathindi said the price of land is too high and unaffordable for most Namibians. “There is a high demand for land but a limited supply. This is caused by servicing and framework issues,” she said.
Kathindi noted that Windhoek is not the source of the “current crisis”. “It is multi-faceted but the City of Windhoek is the first contact point in dealing with the issue,” noted Kathindi.
Further, the group demanded transparency and accountability on the part of the Windhoek City Council in terms of using funds and land allocation.
“Individuals, collectives and financial institutions should be allowed to service land at regulated prices. The City of Windhoek must review the first time buyer definition, and limit the definition to first home ownership throughout Namibia until the crisis is solved,” said Kathindi on behalf of the group.
She also demanded that the council participate in stakeholder forums that should be attended by all stakeholders.
“We will use this platform to make a request to all stakeholders, the developers of the mass housing projects, the National Housing Enterprise, the government, financial institutions, real estate agents to agree to participate in a forum hosted by the public to solve the crisis,” she said.
She used the platform to announce that on Friday thousands of landless Namibians will hand in their applications to the CEO of the Windhoek Municipality.
Lameck Amugongo said: “We just want them to bring down house prices and that of land, as land is too expensive and we cannot afford it. They must also start involving us in decision-making.”
Niilo Taapopi the CEO of the Windhoek Municipality was present when the demonstrators held the impromptu protest outside the municipal offices.
Joshua Amukugo the spokesman of the municipality was unable to confirm whether anyone from the council received the petition.
By Sabina Elago