The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform, Dr Inge Zaamwani, has formally given notice to introduce a far-reaching new land bill in the National Assembly.
The anticipated legislation aims to consolidate and update existing laws, addressing critical issues surrounding communal and commercial agricultural land, with a strong focus on equitable access and sustainable management.
Zaamwani’s notice, delivered on Thursday in Parliament, signals that she will move the motion to introduce the bill on Wednesday, 3 September.
The proposed legislation is a direct response to long-standing calls for more comprehensive and effective land reform in the country, building upon the resolutions of the Second National Land Conference.
At its core, the bill seeks to establish communal land boards and define their powers and functions, ensuring more structured and transparent administration of land in communal areas. It will also pave the way for the creation of a Communal Land Development Fund, aimed at fostering development and productivity within these vital land resources. Furthermore, the bill will address the demarcation and extent of communal land areas and meticulously outline the processes for the allocation of communal land rights, clarifying the roles and responsibilities of chiefs, traditional authorities, and land committees in this crucial process.
The proposed legislation will also provide for the continuation of key existing institutions, including the Land Reform Advisory Commission and the Land Acquisition and Development Fund, ensuring continuity in strategic land management. A significant aspect of the bill focuses on the acquisition of commercial agricultural land by the State for land reform purposes. This includes the explicit vesting in the State of a preferential right to purchase commercial agricultural land and mechanisms for the compulsory acquisition and alienation of such land for reform efforts. This acquired land will then be allocated to Namibian citizens who currently lack adequate or any agricultural land.
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To reshape the country’s land ownership structure, the bill explicitly prohibits the acquisition of commercial agricultural land by foreign nationals and will introduce regulations governing the leasing of such land by foreign entities.
To support these reforms, the bill will also provide for the valuation of commercial agricultural land and the continuation of the Valuation Court, now to be known as the Valuation Tribunal.
Additionally, it will establish provisions for the imposition of land tax and ensure the continuation of the Lands Tribunal. The legislation will also authorize the appointment of officers to perform specific functions under the Act, along with other incidental matters necessary for its effective implementation.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)
