By: Annakleta Haikera 

The Hambukushu community and The Youth Against Crime have supported the troubled chief (Fumu), Erwin Munika Mbambo.

Mbambo is accused of mismanaging the Traditional Authority funds and refusing investors to come and venture into the Mukwe Constituency.

Casius Mukena, also from the royal family, has dragged the chief to the Windhoek High Court.  

However, residents of the Mukwe constituency said that the allegations against the chief would not make them give up on supporting him.

They further say they are not happy about a letter sent on 12 November 2018 to President Hage Geingob.

A committee set up to dethrone Mbambo (chaired by Mukena) wrote the letter.

The Youth Against Crime in Mukwe constituency claim the letter contained misinformation about handling funds and the investor issue.

They further told The Villager that a petition signed by more than 1 000 members of the Hambukushu Traditional Community was done under false pretence, with promises to bring development to the community.

Dinyando Thitjo, who penned a petition in support of Mbambo and is spearheading a demonstration planned this week in Mukwe constituency, told The Villager that the committee seeking the removal of the chief went into different villages, promising people maize meal bags for drought relief.

“Others went to the extent of lying to our people that they are bringing them electricity. Others were told they would be given meat as they were about to distribute meat. People did not know the hidden agenda of these lions in sheepskin,” Thitjo said.

“All we are asking from the State is to stop summoning our Fumu to court. We know the people behind this involve the politicians and the government. Politics have gone into the Kavango Traditional Authority and want to take over the rights of our Fumu and Hompas. We are not happy that this kind of betrayal is only happening to all the Kavango Traditional Authorities.”

He said that other Traditional Authorities across the country are not doing good but have never been summoned to the High Court.

“We, the Hambukushu community, see this as an insult to our tradition. We respect our Fumu to the extent that we do not like to hear any person talking bad about him. As the community members, we do not want to hear that our Fumu is summoned to High Court. “

“Anything can happen to him on the way to Windhoek. Who will we question?”

In the petition, the community and the youth demand that the case be withdrawn from High Court and instead be attended to by the Traditional Authority.

They have further requested the Head of State, Prime Minister, Minister of Justice, and the Government Attorney-General to come to the Hambukushu Traditional Authority as soon as possible.

“We need the people who opened the case and the committee to be present during that meeting. We know at this point our government is trying different ways to stress our Fumu.  

They further said if the Geingob and others they have requested to come and deal with the matter do not come to the Hambukushu Traditional Authority within two months, they would not be welcomed to do any work in the jurisdiction of the Hambukushu Traditional Authority.

“We will close the Magistrate Court, opposite our Traditional Authorities Office, until this matter is resolved here in your presence. Take it as a joke, and you will dance to our tune once two months have elapsed and you haven’t reached us.”

They claim that government wants to have much land in the community.