Who governs communal land?Namibia’s Fencing crackdown exposesa deeper governance challenge

The Namibian government’s decision to intensify the removal of illegal fences on communal land is, on the surface, a welcome affirmation of the rule of law.

Communal land belongs to communities, not individuals, and legislation exists precisely to prevent the privatisation of resources meant to benefit everyone. If illegal fencing is allowed to continue unchecked, it threatens equitable access to grazing, fuels conflict among neighbours and gradually erodes one of the country’s most important systems of shared land tenure.

Yet while the latest enforcement campaign deserves recognition, it also raises a far more uncomfortable question: how did Namibia reach a point where the central government must intervene so extensively to enforce rules that should have been upheld long before?

This is not merely a story about fences. It is a story about governance.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform has made it clear that the exercise follows due legal process. Officials verify the legality of fences, issue written notices, allow for voluntary compliance and resort to demolition only after legal procedures have been exhausted. That approach deserves support. Government cannot selectively enforce the law, particularly when communal land affects thousands of livelihoods.