WINDHOEK - Ovambanderu Chief Kilus Munjuku III Nguvauva has put the blame of traditional authorities’ disputes squarely on government, warning that unless government changes its approach, disputes will spread to other communities across the country.
Addressing his subjects during the annual 123rd Commemoration of the Battle of Otjunda at Okahandja on Sunday, Nguvauva said succession disputes started first with his community before it moved to the Ovaherero, Nama, Kavango and now with the Ondonga community.
“This disputes will spread to other communities in the near future, unless government changes its approach towards traditional authorities,” warned the former deputy minister of works and transport.
“Government should start recognising traditional authorities as important partners in nation building towards the development of the country,” he advised.
However, he said, whether government takes traditional authorities seriously remains an issue for the Council of Traditional Council to deliberate on sooner rather than later.
Furthermore, Nguvauva told his subjects that the traditional authority will continue to be part and parcel of the ongoing genocide negotiations between the Namibian government and the German government.
He told the gathering that the genocide took place well before 1904 as it started shortly after the arrival of the German settlers in this country.
Nguvauva said his community continue to be part of this process while both governments recognise the undeniable fact that the targeted communities, being the Ovambanderu, Ovaherero and the Nama communities - feature prominently during the ongoing negotiations in whatever decision are to be taken towards the final conclusion of any agreement to be entered into between the two governments.
“War took place well before 1904, Comrade Dr Zed Ngavirue, please advise the Namibian government and the public at large accordingly for the history to be told as it is and for the benefit of our future generations,” he said to Namibian Genocide Special Envoy Dr Zedekia Ngavirue who was part of the crowd.
According to Nguvauva, the first order towards genocide was issued by General Theodor Leutwein on 2nd July 1896 after the death of Ovambanderu Chief Kahimemua Hija-Kungairi Nguvauva when he declared the following: “What has been said in last year’s report about the main tribes and captainship of the natives is generally still valid today. Only is the east of Herero land a change has occurred, insofar as rebellion of the chiefs Nicodemus and Kahimemua has been put down, and the latter have been shot, now new captain has been installed in the east, but the Ovambanderu tribe has been assigned to paramount chief Samuel Maharero, who wants to send occasionally his Ovahona to the east to look after things.”
He said the quotation file with the National Archives of Namibia as per file no.ZBU [146] A.Vl.a.3, is a clear act of genocide because according to the Geneva Convention of 1948, of the convention on prevention and punishment of the crime of genocide means an act is committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group.
Therefore, he said the orders of October 2, 1904 and April 24, 1905 issued by General Von Trotha were second and third extermination orders.
Furthermore, Nguvauva also appointed the community ancestral land 19-member committee.
The committee will be led by former Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) Chief Electoral and Referenda Officer Moses Ndjarakana.
Its task is to identify the community ancestral land.