Preliminary results from the |Khomanin traditional community voting for the removal of Gaos (chief) Juliane Gawa-!Nas, and her council so far shows that the majority has voted in favour of her removal.
This follows a voting meeting held in Windhoek on Saturday, with community members saying they want the queen to step down because of her alleged selling of land and keeping donations meant for the community for herself.
Results provided by the steering committee show that 634 voted for the chief’s removal, while 69 voted for the leadership to remain.
Four votes were declared spoiled.
Special adviser to the chief, Walter Haseb, could not be reached at the time of going to print.
Steering Committee member Shaun Gariseb said the referendum process will continue next weekend with special voting expected to take place in the Nauspoort and Baumsgartbrunn areas which were unable to be reached during the initial voting process.
He also said petitions either supporting or opposing the outcome would still be accepted.
“[From] Pockets where we can’t go, a petition in support or against is welcome,” he said.
Gariseb alleged that the traditional authority (TA) attempted to stop the community from announcing the results on Kaisames Radio, but their attempts were unsuccessful.
He added that a recorded live video of the proceedings would be used as evidence. He questioned why prominent individuals allegedly own land while vulnerable elderly residents continue to struggle, adding that elders play an important role in preserving the community’s customs and traditions.
He alleged that communal land intended for the IKhomanin community has been allocated to non-community members with financial means, while locals are excluded.
He warned that the group intends to approach the government to request the suspension of benefits allocated to the TA until the matter is resolved.
Members who spoke to The Namibian over the weekend said they were denied land, while the council sold it to those with money.
Eveline Boois (80) says she has applied for land at Goas, but was not allocated any, and the traditional authority ignored her.
“I don’t even know where to put my chickens. I have been living in Windhoek since my mother died in 1968, because there is no land to go to,” she said. Boois called for leadership that serves and uplifts the wider community.
“Even the ants work together successfully without relying on a single leader. True leadership should extend beyond one household and should actively involve the entire community,” she said. Auchab Gaoseb Marley on Facebook said the chief Gawa-!Nas is ‘‘incompetent.’’
Haseb had told The Namibian last week ahead of the voting that those behind the planned removal are not recognised members of the traditional authority. He said members are required to pay a N$100 registration fee and a monthly contribution of N$20 to qualify as members. “The law is clear when removing a chief. [A chief] must be unable to carry out their duties due to mental health issues or where there is evidence [of wrong doing] and an arrest. Due process must also be followed.”
