Namibia: We Are Not Going Anywhere - Oshakati Residents

What the report says

Residents occupying municipal land at Onawa Extension 7 in Oshakati, northern Namibia, say they will not leave despite a removal notice from the Oshakati Town Council. The group, which says it represents 112 owners of illegal structures, has asked for alternative land or resettlement before any demolition or eviction takes place.

According to the report published by The Namibian and distributed by AllAfrica, the council says the occupants are on the land without approval and that the numbering of structures was only for identification, not permission to stay. Mayor Leonard Hango said the council considered a petition from residents and chose to keep the earlier decision to proceed with removal. The final notice required voluntary departure by 28 September, but the deadline has passed without the structures being taken down.

The residents have argued that poverty, unemployment, homelessness, children and a shortage of affordable housing make removal without an alternative option unfair. One spokesperson, Samuel Ashoongo, said the community would remain unless the municipality resettles them. The council has warned that noncompliance could lead to civil court action.

The dispute matters because it reflects a wider challenge in many Namibian towns: balancing enforcement against informal occupation with pressure for housing and serviced land. The council says it has been engaging the residents since June and points to planned relocation programs, while also citing flood risk and the approaching rainy season as reasons to act.