Africa-Press – Namibia. FORMER City of Windhoek mayor Job Amupanda said local authorities that tell people living in town boundaries to stop cultivating are wrong.
Amupanda said this in a video he posted on his social media platforms yesterday.
According to Amupanda, many people living in town boundaries are told by town councils that they must not cultivate because town development is coming soon.
“Now, when these people hear that from town council officials, they just stop completely. Some are not even compensated or are not fully paid, but they are told to stop,” Amupanda said.
He added that the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development and town councils do not give people information on compensation issues.
“I want to make it clear that there is nothing like that. Even if you are living within the town boundaries, until the day the town council has fully compensated you, they must not tell you not to cultivate. That’s a lie,” he added.
Amupanda urged those living in town boundaries to cultivate this rainy season, if they are not compensated. “Don’t starve because of the stupidity that you are living within the town boundaries.You have the right. That customary land right until such a time you are fully compensated,” Amupanda said.
He said if any Namibian is being threatened with letters by the town council, they must tell him.
“We will fight it, until the court. All farmers in the north, you must not be told not to cultivate. It’s your land and you must start cultivating,” he said.
“It must be heard by everyone. Even the Supreme Court said it is not allowed. Town councils must tell people the truth,” he stressed. He asked town councils where these people would eat.
“Should they starve? Does the council give people food?” Amupanda asked.
Amupanda lashed out at regional councillors, saying they do not give people the correct information when they do morning announcements on radio.
“The town council must talk to you and you must agree until such time you are paid to move. If this is not done and you are told to move, that’s a lie,” he added. Contacted for a comment, the minister of urban and rural development, Erastus Uutoni, said he cannot comment on a video he has not seen.
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