Maponga blames politics for slow land reform

Joshua Maponga, Zimbabwean-born public speaker and chief executive of Farmers of Thought, says that land reform can only be successful if it recognises Namibia’s sensitive political environment.

He made these remarks at a Previously Disadvantaged Namibia Farmers Union (PDNFU) information session in Windhoek on Wednesday, which was attended by close to one hundred community members.

“Addressing political parties’ resistance to land reform requires a multi-faceted approach,” he said in his keynote speech.

“The challenges posed by entrenched interests, fear of losing power and economic pressure from elite stakeholders can be daunting, but there are strategies to overcome them,” Maponga said.

He stressed that building public pressure is crucial for successful land reform and recommended mass mobilisation, social media campaigns, petitions and protests as effective means to this end.

“By rallying the public and creating a sense of urgency, political parties are more likely to take notice and respond to demands for change,” he said.

“Engaging with party leaders, developing alternative policy frameworks and collaborating with progressive lawmakers can help shift the narrative and create a more conducive environment for land reform,” he continued.

Mapongo also made reference to international instruments which can help in guiding land reform efforts, namely the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Peasants, the African Union’s Framework and Guidelines on Land Policy, and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.