ONDONGA King Immanuel Kauluma Elifas is critically ill, and has been admitted at a hospital in the north to be under close observation by doctors.
has it on good authority that King Elifas was admitted at the Ongwediva Medi Park hospital last Thursday. Sources at the Ondonga Traditional Authority said no one is allowed to visit the king, except very close relatives.
When King Elifas got sickly, a fight over his succession ensued within the royal family, with many accusing the queen, Cecilia Elifas, of sitting on the Ondonga king’s council for more than a decade and being the power behind the appointment of headmen, senior headmen, and even some expulsions from the council.
King Elifas is reported to have ordered the dismissal of some traditional councillors in July 2017. The dismissed councillors, Peter Kauluma, Joseph Asino, John Walenga, Vilho Kamanya, Kashona kaMalulu, Tonata Ngulu and Fillemon Nambili took the matter to the High Court, asking the court to review and set aside the decision to dismiss them, and to stop the appointments of new traditional leaders in the positions from which they were removed.
The dismissed councillors have questioned the signature stamp used by the traditional authority in the correspondence announcing their dismissal, and the appointment of new traditional councillors. They allege that the king did not independently decide to dismiss them.
Although in August last year, the king was ordered by High Court judge Maphios Cheda to testify about the dismissals, this was never done.
Judge Marlene Tommasi, who was transferred to Windhoek effective from 1 February, will deliver judgement in the case on 13 February. – tuyeimo@namibian.com.na
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