By: Lina Amutenya

Acting chairman of the Council of Traditional Leaders, chief Immanuel !Gâseb has lumped the Ovaherero Traditional Authorities as one of the 16 in the country currently without a chief.

This, despite Prof Mutjinde Katjiua being installed as the OTA’s paramount chief in July in a controversial ceremony that saw Ovitoto chief Vipuira Kapuuo, who disputes Katjiua’s nomination and designation as the Ovaherero chief as unprocedural, hosting a separate annual Red Flag Day at Okahandja at the time.

According to !Gâseb, there are currently 16 recognised traditional authorities without chiefs, namely Vaalgras, Gciriku, Afrikaner, Topnaar, Otjikaoko, Tsoaxudaman, Ovambanderu, Uukwangali, ǁKhauǀgoan, Kgalagadi, ǂAodaman, Blouwes, Sambyu, Masubia, Bondelswarts, and Ovaherero traditional authorities.

He said this on Monday during the official opening of the 23rd Annual meeting of the Council of Traditional Leaders in Eenhana, Ohangwena region.

According to the acting chair, the endless disputes among traditional communities and endless applications by traditional communities who are continuously seeking recognition of new traditional authorities from already existing 53 recognised traditional authorities are destabilising the “conducive environment government has created.”

“In 2017 we made a commitment to the President, during the meeting held in Rundu whereby promises were made that we are no longer going to give the head of state headaches on issues of chieftainships, successions, and issues leading traditional authorities to disputes. Now we are wondering, what are we going to tell the President?” he said.

He said for this year, there are more than five new applications for traditional communities to be recognised, which are factions from already existing authorities, from areas of jurisdiction of already recognised and gazetted traditional authorities.

“I was informed that there are 11 traditional authorities with chieftainships with succession disputes. While some are waiting for investigations to be conducted, it is worrisome to continue to witness instances of factionalism, and ongoing leadership succession disputes between communities and their leaders. I call upon our communities to respect customary laws.”

In a speech read on his behalf by urban and rural development minister, Erastus Uutoni, President Hage Geingob said that it is a concern that some traditional authorities and leaders have been encouraging illegal fencing off of communal land and allocation of communal lands, and the proceeds of such illegal actions benefit them.

“This is a corrupt practice and must be nipped in the bud immediately.”

In June, The Villager reported that Mile 30 headman Sikatu Fesitus was accused by residents of selling land to Angolan

nationals and some Namibian residents.

“Traditional authorities and leaders have an integral role to play in the promotion and creation of conditions for the empowerment and protection of the rights and safety of women and children in society,” Geingob further said.

According to Geingob, access to land remains one of the basic needs for Namibians.

“The government remains committed and has developed legislative frameworks to guide the proper and orderly administration and distribution of land in the country. In respect of communal land, the government has put systems in place to make sure that communal land is administered and managed in the interests, especially of the people who are living in those areas.”

Meanwhile, Walde Natangwe Ndevashiya, governor of the Ohangwena region said the meeting will discuss the challenges faced by people in different traditional authorities daily and address the challenges of unemployment facing the youth.

The theme of this 23rd meeting is the election of the new chairperson after the passing of the late king Immanuel Kauluma Elifas of Ondonga.