Traditional leaders say they have been excluded from consultations on the land bill, raising concerns over diminished authority and potential disruption of communal land governance.
Council of Traditional Leaders chairperson Immanuel Gaseb said this during a meeting with the parliamentary standing committee on urban and rural development, chaired by Elifas Dingara, last week.
This was the first time the committee met with traditional leaders.
"The Council of Traditional Leaders Act 13 of 1997 Section 15 clearly says any draft legislation pertaining to communal land shall be laid before the council for its consideration and recommendation before it is introduced in the National Assembly. But we were never consulted.
Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn
"Now I hear land must be taken over by land boards and traditional leaders have nothing to say, and that is a problem," Gaseb said.
Part of the land bill's proposed amendments is that a communal land board would have the final say in the allocation and sale of land without having to consult traditional leaders.
Gaseb said if this is allowed, traditional authorities would be redundant.
"This means Namibia wants to become like Tanzania, it does not have traditional authority - the government is the traditional leader at the same time," he said.
Gaseb said the government only engages certain traditional leaders.
He also no one from the committee has visited his office to find out what challenges traditional leaders are faced with.
"I'm not happy about this, and the treatment I see, it's not good. We must all be treated equally. Some decisions we make without knowing another region.
"As a responsible committee, you have to visit all the regions and engage us, and not make decisions on a high level without consulting us," he said.
Ondonga Traditional Authority secretary Frans Enkali said no chief would accept a bill that seeks to disrupt cultural and traditional practices.
"No chief would accept such a careless bill. Are they saying the land board, made up of a five-year period, is going to manage not just land issues but also other issues such as community? We cannot allow this, this bill ought to have been brought to us first for us to give our input," he said.
Enkali said the bill must be regarded as null and void without traditional leaders' consent.
Popular Democratic Movement president McHenry Venaani says it's unacceptable that the custodians of land have not been consulted.
San Chiefs Council of Namibia secretary general Naledi Uiras yesterday said the exclusion of traditional authorities from consultation on the land bill is deeply concerning.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
"Traditional leaders are custodians of communal land and play an essential role in preserving social harmony, culture, and identity within their communities.
"Failing to consult them on legislation that directly impacts their roles and the livelihoods of their people undermines both participatory governance and the principles of inclusivity and transparency enshrined in our democratic system," she said.
Uiras said any bill that proposes to alter or reduce the powers of traditional authorities should be informed by genuine dialogue, mutual respect, and collaboration.
She demanded that the government reopen the discussion and ensure that all recognised and unrecognised traditional authorities, including smaller or marginalised groups such as the San, are meaningfully involved before the bill progresses further.
The Namibian uses AI tools to assist with improved quality, accuracy and efficiency, while maintaining editorial oversight and journalistic integrity.
