Ministry probes Blouwes traditional leadership dispute

By: LUQMAN CLOETE

THE Government will soon launch an investigation into the succession dispute that has engulfed the Blouwes Traditional Authority (BTA) leadership.

This was revealed by local government permanent secretary, Sirkka Ausiku, in a letter to BTA in response to its application in March to designate Bennie Koopman their new tribal leader.
Acknowledging receipt of the BTA’s application to designate Koopman, who had been elected by authority’s elders  to the chieftainship after the passing of acting chief Moses Jacobs, Ausiku only informed BTA that local government minister, Charles Namoloh, will appoint an investigation committee to look into the leadership dispute that  arose after the passing of late Chief Hans Johannes Titus in 2009.
BTA chairman Johannes Barman yesterday confirmed plans for a ministerial investigation into the leadership dispute that has torn the Blouwes community apart.
A  break-away faction calling themselves /Hawoben traditional community in mid 2011 designated their leader Dawid Casius Gertze as chief without government approval.
Gertze had been installed as the chief of /Hawoben traditional community  despite a directive by the former local government minister, Jerry Ekandjo, to halt his installation until such time that the BTA leadership dispute had been resolved.
luqman@namibian.com.na

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