‘Lead us not into municipal land’
Landless farmers in Gobabis, Namibia, are struggling to keep livestock within municipal boundaries due to strict local bylaws. They argue that without government-provided farmland, they have no choice but to keep animals in town for survival and transport.
Why it matters
This highlights the ongoing tension between urban development, municipal regulation, and the socio-economic needs of landless citizens in post-colonial land reform contexts.
More landless farmers want livestock kept in towns
Farmer Markus Aoxamub (58) says if the Gobabis municipality does not want him to keep his goats and donkeys in town, the government needs to give him a piece of land to farm.
“I am willing to leave town, but the municipality must give me a place to stay,” he says.
Namibian municipal laws prohibit keeping livestock within urban boundaries unless the animals are kept in a well-fenced area.
Aoxamub keeps his five donkeys and eight goats locked inside the kraal next to his shack so they do not bother other residents in the municipal area of Gobabis.
He leads them daily to a grazing area near the town and ensures they drink water at one of the community taps.
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