King Elifas dismisses ‘disrespectful’ son-in-law

A DISPUTE has erupted between King Immanuel Kauluma Elifas of Ondonga and his son-in-law Petrus Shambo Martin after a secretly recorded telephone conversation went viral on social media.

Martin is accused of making “disrespectful, slanderous and false” statements about the King’s private life in a conversation with a friend last month.

It is not known who exactly recorded the conversation, and why it was made public.

King Elifas reacted swiftly by dismissing Martin from his position as both the headman of the Okadhimeti village and traditional councillor for Onyelelo in the Ondangwa district. But a defiant Martin said his purported dismissal was unprocedural and, therefore, null and void.

King Elifas said in the dismissal letter dated 12 June that Martin has had ample time to distance himself from the recorded statements attributed to him, but failed to do so. “You committed a serious offence that has irrevocably damaged my trust in you. I, therefore, no longer trust you as my representative,” King Elifas said.

Ondonga Traditional Authority spokesperson Nepando Amupanda confirmed that Martin was dismissed, and that the villagers will soon be formally informed about the King’s decision.

However, Martin still holds a different view.

Speaking to The Namibian, he said the King does not dismiss his headmen by merely disseminating letters on social media.

“No dismissal letter has been brought to me so far. Therefore, I am still the headman of Okadhimeti and traditional councillor for Onyelelo,” he stated.

He added that the procedure for dismissing a headman is clear. “Such a headman must have been charged, tried and found guilty. That did not happen in my case,” he said.

Martin, who is married to King Elifas’ daughter from a previous marriage, hinted that the dismissal letter might be a forgery. “I seriously doubt that the letter was written and signed by King Elifas,” he noted. His dismissal comes barely a month after eight senior and junior traditional councillors were dismissed en masse, including the traditional authority’s chairman, Peter Kauluma, and spokesperson, Joseph Asino.

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