Swapo Still Calculating Stance on Removal of Redline

• By Allexer Namundjembo

Swapo Deputy Secretary General Uahekua Herunga has said that his party is still considering removing the redline.

Herunga said the redline issue is sensitive and requires a strategic approach, which the party is yet to take. ’We understand the need to have a stance on the removal of the redline, and as a party, we are still calculating our stance on the removal of the redline,’’ he said.

Herunga said the party would then conclude whether they would support the removal of the redline or opt to create a second market that would cater to farmers north of the redline. ‘’As I have said, it requires a strategic approach. We will see if we will consider developing another market that will cater for farmers trading from the northern side of the redline to have access to the world market,’’ Herunga said.

Herunga further added that the party will reveal its manifesto next month, which will reveal how it will assist the youth with capital to establish their business, subsequently reducing the unemployment rate. ‘’We are going to launch our manifesto next month, and we will reveal how we are going to provide capital to the youth so they can come up with their own business, which, in our view, will reduce the unemployment rate,’’ he said.

Additionally, Popular Democratic Movement leader McHenry Venaani has called for creating a buffer zone and removing the redline. Venaani said the redline issue can only be addressed if there is an alternative, which, in his party’s view, is the creation of a buffer zone.

‘’We are the only party from 2014 that has put ten priority areas on removing the redline. The removal of the redline is not the physical removal.  “Still, it is to create a conducive environment and open up a space so that cattle that are northern of the redline can bring equity to price and ensure that farmers benefit equally,’’ he said.

Venaani further alluded that the reason why there is a redline is because of undetected diseases.  He said the fence is there because of the free movement between cattle on the northern side of the wall, which move freely to Angola, or in contact with cattle that go to Angola, which pose the danger of disease transmission.

‘’Angola is a country known for not practising veterinary control or vaccinating its animals. Our northern farmers, especially those farming south of Angola, have their cattle at risk of being infected by diseases from Angola,’’ Venaani said. He added that if we want to open the markets and have access to fair prices, we must build a buffer zone between Namibia and Angola. ‘’A buffer zone would mean we must build a fence that will stop our cattle from entering Angola. But by doing that, we will clear the northern farmers at the northern side of the redline because there are no diseases in the country’s northern area. Still, diseases mostly come from places without veterinary control, such as Angola,’’ Venaani added.

Venaani further said that the only area that will be difficult to open up is Zambezi, as it has many buffaloes in the country, which will be hard to clear. ’Zambezi have an unfitted amount of Buffaloes; thus, for it to be cleared completely will be a challenge, but if we are to build a buffer zone between Angola and Namibia, the redline will be a thing of the past, and there will be fair prizing, access to the market, but the opening of the redline without a buffer zone will put the country at risk, and it will threaten our economy especially to our worldwide market that do contribute to the economy,’’ he said.