Ester Mbathera
Swapo lawmaker Tobie Aupindi has called for substantial and gradual change to the veterinary cordon fence, commonly known as the “red line”.
Aupindi argued that it perpetuates economic inequality in the country.
Speaking during a budget debate in the National Assembly on Tuesday, Aupindi said the red line effectively creates two separate economies within the same country.
“We are literally maintaining two economic systems in one republic. One for the commercial rich, and the other one for the communal poor,” he said.
The Swapo member of parliament said the National Assembly also recommended the removal because the ministry responsible for the removal of the red line was not expediting the process.
“It’s actually not fast enough,” he said.
Aupindi criticised the Ministry of Agriculture for not moving fast enough to address the issue, despite a National Assembly recommendation for the red line’s removal.
He previously served on the parliamentary committee on economics and public administration, which called for a policy framework and legislative changes to allow livestock farmers in the Northern Communal Areas (NCAs) to access markets south of the fence.
The ministry was tasked during the second land conference to remove the red line.
A progress report between October 2018 and May 2023 stated that the ministry was stagnant with the fence between Namibia and Angola.
Aupindi challenged the common concern that meat from north of the fence is unsafe.
“The opponents of this red line are usually citing that the meat from the north of the condom fence is actually not safe, yet visitors to those regions, including tourists, continue to consume that meat,” he reasoned.
Aupindi suggested that the real reason for maintaining the red line might be to protect Namibia’s meat export market in Europe.
“And if that is really the case, then the issue of quarantine and enhanced improved efficiency must be instituted,” he said.
The lawmaker argued that this would ensure equal movement of animals from the northern side of the red line for both commercial and personal gain.
“Because people have access to their animals and are now being forced into an economic battle,” he said.
Furthermore, Aupindi advocated for investigating whether the northern farming community can meet its own market demands.
“If this is the case, then we should also prevent meat from the commercial areas from being sold in the communal north until the current discriminatory system is totally and completely abandoned,” Aupindi added.
Last month, Affirmative Repositioning leader Job Amupanda lost a High Court case challenging the legality of the red line.
Judge Shafimana Ueitele dismissed his bid to have the fence declared unconstitutional.
Amupanda has indicated that he will appeal the ruling in the Supreme Court.
