Gender war pits villager against villager

A GROUP of residents at Ohaihana village in the Ohangwena Region is agitating to split off a portion of the village because they do not want to be led by a woman.

Ester Kavela, who inherited Ohaihana village from her late husband Vilho Kavela in 1997, told The Namibian yesterday that she is living in fear because of threats being levelled at her and her supporters. The dissident residents are led by Taimi Hashihakumwa, wife of Julius Kashihakumwa, who leads the south side of Ohaihana.A visibly disturbed Kavela alleged that Taimi, her son and relatives want to cut off the Edimba area from Ohaihana so that it can be made into a spearate village and be given to Natangwe Kashihakumwa.Natangwe is a son of Taimi and Julius Kashihakumwa.Kavela said the group could not stomach having a woman as a leader.She said the Kashihakumwas were also threatening people that residents who did not support them would not be given jobs at their lodge at the village.Kavela said Edimba, a plot of about five homesteads, had formed part of Ohaihana down the years.She said she was fairly named chief of the village after she paid five head of cattle, required by the Senior Headman of Ohakafiya District, Job Haihambo.She alleged that some key figures in the traditional district were also supporting the Kashihakumwas, although the father, Julius Kashihakumwa, has denied this.He is pointing fingers at his wife.Ohangwena Governor Usko Nghaamwa, Chairperson of the Northern Traditional Authorities, said the Ohakafiya Traditional District feels the idea of cutting off Edimba from Ohaihana is wrong, as Edimba was part and parcel of Ohaihana.”I think they are doing it maybe just because they do not want to be ruled by a woman,” he said.Attempts to divide Ohaiahana started long ago and in 2003, a referendum was held to see how many people wanted Edimba cut off from Ohaihana.At the first meeting, 79 people opposed splitting the village and only five voted in favour.The meeting was chaired by Julius Ndjuluwa, Chairperson of the Ohakafiya Traditional District of Senior headman Job Haihambo, under which Ohaihana falls.This was followed by a meeting called by Haihambo, but he delegated Jacob Shetuhanga to chair it.Another referendum was held, with 90 people against the move and only seven were for it.This was followed by yet another meeting called by the Oukwanyama Traditional Authority (OTA), where Haihambo was found guilty for accepting a traditional payment from the opposing side in their struggle to have Edimba cut off from Ohaihana.Haihambo allegedly even accepted that he was guilty and the opposing side (Kavela) was asked to go to him get the traditional payment back.She said the group refused to go and collect the payments.Kavela said in 2005, the opposing group went to see the Ondonga Traditional Authority to present their case and later went to Oshakati.Kavela did not attend because she was not invited.So, when the matter came up at the Oshakati meeting, it was suggested that another meeting be called so that Kavela could also be present.Kavela did attend but before the meeting, she was called to Haihambo’s home where she found Nahas Ndevahoma, who allegedly wanted to twist her arm not to attend the second Oshakati meeting.She said she refused to be swayed.At the second Oshakati meeting, only one senior traditional leader – who was related to Taimi – attended.She said this meeting decided that Edimba should be de-linked from Ohaihana and that residents had the right to choose the village to which they wanted to belong.No questions were allowed, Kavela said.The dissident residents are led by Taimi Hashihakumwa, wife of Julius Kashihakumwa, who leads the south side of Ohaihana.A visibly disturbed Kavela alleged that Taimi, her son and relatives want to cut off the Edimba area from Ohaihana so that it can be made into a spearate village and be given to Natangwe Kashihakumwa.Natangwe is a son of Taimi and Julius Kashihakumwa.Kavela said the group could not stomach having a woman as a leader. She said the Kashihakumwas were also threatening people that residents who did not support them would not be given jobs at their lodge at the village. Kavela said Edimba, a plot of about five homesteads, had formed part of Ohaihana down the years.She said she was fairly named chief of the village after she paid five head of cattle, required by the Senior Headman of Ohakafiya District, Job Haihambo. She alleged that some key figures in the traditional district were also supporting the Kashihakumwas, although the father, Julius Kashihakumwa, has denied this.He is pointing fingers at his wife.Ohangwena Governor Usko Nghaamwa, Chairperson of the Northern Traditional Authorities, said the Ohakafiya Traditional District feels the idea of cutting off Edimba from Ohaihana is wrong, as Edimba was part and parcel of Ohaihana.”I think they are doing it maybe just because they do not want to be ruled by a woman,” he said.Attempts to divide Ohaiahana started long ago and in 2003, a referendum was held to see how many people wanted Edimba cut off from Ohaihana.At the first meeting, 79 people opposed splitting the village and only five voted in favour.The meeting was chaired by Julius Ndjuluwa, Chairperson of the Ohakafiya Traditional District of Senior headman Job Haihambo, under which Ohaihana falls.This was followed by a meeting called by Haihambo, but he delegated Jacob Shetuhanga to chair it.Another referendum was held, with 90 people against the move and only seven were for it.This was followed by yet another meeting called by the Oukwanyama Traditional Authority (OTA), where Haihambo was found guilty for accepting a traditional payment from the opposing side in their struggle to have Edimba cut off from Ohaihana.Haihambo allegedly even accepted that he was guilty and the opposing side (Kavela) was asked to go to him get the traditional payment back.She said the group refused to go and collect the payments.Kavela said in 2005, the opposing group went to see the Ondonga Traditional Authority to present their case and later went to Oshakati.Kavela did not attend because she was not invited.So, when the matter came up at the Oshakati meeting, it was suggested that another meeting be called so that Kavela could also be present.Kavela did attend but before the meeting, she was called to Haihambo’s home where she found Nahas Ndevahoma, who allegedly wanted to twist her arm not to attend the second Oshakati meeting.She said she refused to be swayed.At the second Oshakati meeting, only one senior traditional leader – who was related to Taimi – attended.She said this meeting decided that Edimba should be de-linked from Ohaihana and that residents had the right to choose the village to which they wanted to belong.No questions were allowed, Kavela said.