A GROUP of disgruntled Aminuis residents and members of the Ovaherero Traditional Authority (OTA) have elected a separate leadership to represent their interests within the constituency and the traditional authority.
This new leadership, which claims to represent close to 700 people, was elected at a meeting at Omurambondjomba in the Aminuis communal area on March 18. Those chosen are senior chiefs Nehemiah Kaatura, Usiel Jonge Tjiroze, Godlob Kauazeua, Niklas Koujo, Tjiuma Kamberipa and Asnath Hondjera, with secretary Claudius Kauta. The elected junior chiefs are Julia Undu Kandjii, Else Kambaende Kamboo, Godfried Uandara, Isaskar Mbaukua, and Isaskar Kuhanga. Kaatura, who was a council member under the OTA leadership of Kuaima Riruako, said the rupture came about in 2010 during the regional council election, when the two groups supported different candidates. Kaatura and four others consequently were suspended from Nudo, and were joined by 659 others who all joined the Swapo Party in late 2011 in search of another political home. He said the leadership at Aminuis then indicated that those who had joined Swapo would not be accepted as members of the Aminuis traditional leadership. The renegade group has accused the other group of a range of issues, which include alleged corrupt management of the finances of the Aminuis Farmers’ Association – of which there is a case under investigation – and that of the Anti-theft Unit.The two separate groups are reportedly also in discord over a frozen trust account. Another bone of contention, said Kaatura, is that the current Aminuis traditional leadership comes from other communal areas: two are from Kunene, one from Omusati, one from Gam, one from Ovitoto, and one from Rietfontein. All junior leaders, he said, are also from other communal areas. ‘The seat of the traditional leadership must be from Aminuis,’ insisted Kaatura, who charged that Riruako is trying to widen the Nudo power base beyond the borders of Aminuis. Kaatura also said although Riruako had handed over his chieftainship to Fanuel Tjombe when he assumed the Nudo seat in the National Assembly, he still acts as a traditional leader. This, said Kaatura, is the biggest divisive factor among the Aminuis community. The breakaway group has sent three letters to the Ministry of Regional and Local Government and Housing in which it charges that Nudo is using Aminuis as its ‘political playground’. The group has also informed the ministry of its new leadership. This group intends to set up its own communal court with 15 chosen members from its ranks. And in response to threats allegedly made that their cattle will be stolen, the group has also decided to employ its own security. Kaatura said the group is in consultation with other language groups – Tswanas, and San – for cooperation in the community court and security outfit.
