Objections to Zambzezi Land Applications Can Be Made Within Seven Days

The Zambzezi Communal Land Board (Zambezi Communal Land Board) has opened 25 different applications for traditional land rights, occupational land rights, and leasehold rights in the region for public scrutiny. Through an official announcement published by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform, these applications were notified to the public. The Board stated that citizens who wish to object to the applications must submit their requests in writing. The objection periods were limited to only seven days, starting from the date the announcement was published. The announcement in question was made available to the public on Friday through official authorities.

The land applications in question cover a wide variety of settlements located in the Zambzezi region, including Bukalo, Iseke, Liselo, Lubuta, Ziltene, Chinchimane, Bitto, Gunkwe, Ikaba, Imukusi, and Kasheshe. Among the application areas are also Kasika, Linyanti, Lisikili, Mafuta, Ngoma, Sangwali, Sibbinda, Sikanjabuka, Sikaunga, and Singalamwe. A significant portion of the applications was made by individuals wishing to engage in farming and agricultural production in the region. Five different applicants aim to obtain traditional land rights primarily to establish agricultural land. In this context, Siseho Sinvula demands an area of 47.3 hectares in the Bukalo region for residential and farming purposes, while Mwinga Mwinga applied for a 57.86-hectare plot of land in Iseke.

Among other applications made for agricultural activities, Tubaleye Nkanchele's request for 52.56 hectares in Liselo and Chainda Mukelabai's request for 91 hectares of land in Lubuta stand out. Additionally, Sibeya Boniface and Prisca Nasilele made a joint application for the allocation of a vast area of 568.68 hectares in the Ziltene region. A commercial entity named Ocacious Mashazi Oma Trading submitted a small-scale leasehold rights application for 0.57 hectares in the Chinchimane region. All these individual and commercial demands are shaped with the goal of increasing the agricultural potential and supporting crop production in the region. These initiatives appear to aim to diversify the economic activities of local residents and investors.

In addition to individual applications, there are also many government institutions, schools, and churches requesting occupational land rights for the lands they currently use. Educational institutions such as Bitto Primary School, Gunkwe Primary School, Nankuntwe Combined School, Kahunikwa Primary School, Kasheshe Combined School, Lisikili Combined School, Sikaunga Primary School, and Singalamwe Combined School are requesting official land allocations for their social and educational facilities. Meanwhile, various religious communities such as the Apostolic Faith Church, Roman Catholic Church, and Sedcom Namibia are also requesting land rights for their own worship and church facilities. The Zambzezi Regional Council also applied for land use rights to build a settlement in the Sangwali region and a sports facility in the Sibbinda region. These demands from the institutions stand out as steps to be taken towards the development of infrastructure and public services in the region.

On the other hand, two companies planning to invest on a commercial and industrial scale in the region also applied officially for leasehold rights. Bedzo Investment CC wants to realize a comprehensive shopping mall project in the Linyanti region, which includes a fuel station and a shopping center. Another company named SSN Investments stated that it plans to establish an energy production facility by requesting a 50.04-hectare land in Liselo. While these intensive land demands from the community and institutions are considered a critical process for regional development, the Zambzezi Communal Land Board requires all official objections regarding the process to be submitted to them. According to the statement made by the Board, all acceptable written objections must be submitted to the Zambzezi Communal Land Board Chairmanship in Katima Mulilo.