Ekandjo, Respect People’s Rights
MINISTER Jerry Ekandjo, this should be the most trying hour for you than it is for ordinary Namibians who are beneficiaries of your studious hard work in the ministry you lead. I wish you well in your aspiration to stand as a Presidential candidate for the Government of the Republic of Namibia.
I am saying this to tender my apology for adding yet another burden to your scope of work and your political aspirations.
I humbly request you to rescind and retract the casual, unconstitutional and undemocratic statement you made in reference to the democratic election of Reverend Andreas.
Biwa as the new chief of the Vaalgras Community. It cannot be correct, Minister, that in a democratic country such as Namibia, you can make dictatorial statements like a Pope speaking ex-cathedra to put the constitutional imperatives to nought; the democratic will of the people of Vaalgras must be respected.
The reasons you advance for your vehement support for Chief Joel Stephanus over the new democratically elected Chief Biwa are unconstitutional and preposterous. In accordance with the Traditional Authorities Act of 2000 Sec 6 (1), the recognition of a chief or head of traditional community must be done within the ambit and satisfaction of the Act and not merely on your narrow political view that is determined by the long lasting political relations that a candidate enjoys with the party.
As a Presidential aspirant, your statements in The Namibian newspaper dated October 8 send a scary message to many political spectators and ordinary Namibians, not only within the borders of Namibia, but farther. If you can, like an octopus, clamp down the democratic will of such a small village as Vaalgras. What makes Namibians think that you as the possible political head of state, will not for your own party political interests clamp down both the democratic and constitutional rights of the Namibian people?
How can we confirm with utmost certainty that the human rights of the Namibian people, regardless of political creed, religious dogmas, and tribe would be jealously guarded?
Your duty as a Minister of Regional and Local Government, Housing and Rural Development in this case is to ensure protection of the Traditional Authorities Act and the Constitution of Namibia.
In light of the above, I counsel the Minister to rescind his statements and invoke Sec. 6 (1) of the Traditional Authorities Act of 2000 in respect to the Vaalgras people.
Thabo Kenaura Appolus
Vaalgras