Namibia to expropriate white-owned land

Namibia's President Hage Geingob has lamented the slow pace of land reform in the country, saying the government will tackle the problem by expropriating land, while giving white owners "fair compensation".

In a speech to mark 27 years of independence, Mr Geingob said the government had exhausted efforts to transfer ownership to black people through the "willing buyer, willing seller" concept.

The government now needed to "refer back to our constitution which allows for the expropriation of land with fair compensation and also look at foreign ownership of land, especially absentee land owners".  

The government is aiming to transfer 43% of its agricultural land to disadvantaged black Namibians by 2020. So far less than 30% has been reallocated.

Land ownership is an emotive issue in the region - Zimbabwe's government has been strongly criticised by the opposition and Western governments for seizing white-owned farms.

In South Africa, President Jacob Zuma has called for land expropriation without compensation , but a discussion paper released by the governing party has proposed "just and equitable" compensation.

Mr Geingob's speech has been tweeted on the presidency's official account.

'This means we need to refer back to our Constitution which allows for the expropriation of land with fair compensation' #NamibiaAt27 pic.twitter.com/4ZYN3PQRQO

— Namibian Presidency (@NamPresidency) March 21, 2017

'This means we need to refer back to our Constitution which allows for the expropriation of land with fair compensation' #NamibiaAt27 pic.twitter.com/4ZYN3PQRQO

— Namibian Presidency (@NamPresidency) March 21, 2017

If we are committed to achieving further economic growth and maintaining peace, then everyone should be open to new approaches #NamibiaAt27 pic.twitter.com/h0i1oXPnml

— Namibian Presidency (@NamPresidency) March 21, 2017

If we are committed to achieving further economic growth and maintaining peace, then everyone should be open to new approaches #NamibiaAt27 pic.twitter.com/h0i1oXPnml

— Namibian Presidency (@NamPresidency) March 21, 2017

'Let us therefore come together and hold hands in dealing with the land problem so that we can solve it amicably' President @hagegeingob pic.twitter.com/mepzBSQRlF

— Namibian Presidency (@NamPresidency) March 21, 2017

'Let us therefore come together and hold hands in dealing with the land problem so that we can solve it amicably' President @hagegeingob pic.twitter.com/mepzBSQRlF

— Namibian Presidency (@NamPresidency) March 21, 2017