Affirmative Repositioning

Affirmative Repositioning (AR) is a radical movement in Namibia aimed at improving the socio-economic conditions of urban youth. Started in 2014 by Job Amupanda, Dimbulukweni Nauyoma and George Kambala, AR uses social media platforms to mobilise residents to apply for erven (small residential land titles) from municipalities. Due to thousands of youth submitting their forms on the same day, these activities have the character of mass demonstrations. The movement has in a first round in November 2014 achieved a wave of individual land applications in Windhoek, Namibia's capital. It has since spread to other Namibian towns. The Affirmative Repositioning movement has threatened to take the land by force should the applications not have been processed and approved by July 2015.

Establishment and land applications

On 9 November 2014, Amupanda, Kambala and Nauyoma cleared land which they named "Erf number 2014" in Windhoek's affluent Kleine Kuppe suburb, stating high rental prices in town and nepotism in the municipality as reasons for their actions.[1] The action was widely seen as illegal land grabbing. Amupanda, who was SWAPO Party Youth League (SPYL)'s Secretary for Information, Publicity and Mobilisation at that time and also served in the youth wing's executive committee, resigned his positions shortly before being suspended along Nauyoma and Kambala by the 'Top four' of SWAPO party: president Hifikepunye Pohamba, vice-president Hage Geingob, secretary-general Nangolo Mbumba, and his deputy Laura McLeod-Katjirua.[2] The trio vacated the illegally occupied plot after a few days.

In the mean time AR activists started mobilising young people to apply for land at the Windhoek municipality. They used social media and existing SWAPO Youth League party structures.[3] On 21 November 2014 the City of Windhoek received 14,000 individual land applications.[4] In a second round of mass action on 27 February 2015, Windhoek received a further 2,500 applications. Land applications were also handed in to the municipalities of Walvis Bay (9,500 applications), Okahandja (4,000), Swakopmund (3,000[5]), Ongwediva (2,500), Oshakati (2,500), Keetmanshoop (800), Rundu (400), Otjiwarongo (200) and Tsumeb (200).[6]

In April 2015 the municipality of Henties Bay offered 120 serviced land plots to applicants of the AR movement, among them Amupanda, Nauyoma, and Kambala. This move has been widely criticised, and the AR leaders were accused of misusing their movement's goals by applying for plots in the upmarket holiday town of Henties Bay while being residents of Windhoek.[7][8] As of May 2015 the plots have not been transferred yet.[9]

Reception

AR has been described as the "biggest peaceful mass action since Namibia’s independence in 1990."[5] The level of organisation within the movement as well as the variety of political promises by its main activist Amupanda has raised the concern that AR might be a "political party in the making".[3] SWAPO has generally condemned the initial land grab. Regarding the subsequent mobilisation action the party has not taken a uniform position. SPYL secretary-general Elijah Ngurare has backed the movement but several regional SWAPO politicians do not approve of it.[10]

References

  1. ↑ Kambala, George; Nauyoma, Dimbulukeni; Amupanda, Job Shipululo (13 February 2015). "Affirmative Repositioning – The Two Options". New Era.
  2. ↑ Mongudhi, Tileni; Haidula, Tuyeimo (4 March 2015). "Politburo endorses Amupanda's suspension". The Namibian.
  3. 1 2 Ndimbira, Diana (27 February 2015). "Amupanda causes panic". Windhoek Observer.
  4. ↑ Tjihenua, Theresia; Haidula, Tuyeimo (24 November 2014). "14 000 submit land applications". The Namibian.
  5. 1 2 "Mass land application peaceful". The Citizen. 28 February 2015.
  6. ↑ "Mass land applications hailed a success". New Era. 2 March 2015.
  7. ↑ Heita, Hileni (24 April 2015). "AR Trio Receive Henties Plots". Windhoek Observer.
  8. ↑ Beukes, Jemima (7 May 2015). "Amupanda disappointed by Gurirab’s remarks". Namibian Sun.
  9. ↑ Haidula, Tuyeimo (7 May 2015). "'Follow Swapo land policy'". The Namibian.
  10. ↑ "Swapo divided on land applications". New Era. 27 February 2015.
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