Mbanderu group fears ‘bloodshed’ at Okahandja

ONE faction of the deeply divided Ovambanderu community met with the Okahandja municipality on Thursday and persuaded the local authority to stop the annual commemoration at the grave of their ancestral Chief Kahimemua Nguvauva on the weekend of June 12 to 14, which is planned by the rival faction under the new but unrecognised Chief Keharanjo.

The chief was executed in 1896 by a firing squad of the German colonial government. Keharanjo’s own father, Chief Munjuku II Nguvauva, a grandson of the slain chief, was buried there in January 2008.After Munjuku’s death, his older son Kilus claimed to be the rightful heir to succeed his father, while his younger half-brother claimed the same. He was inaugurated last year in August by the ‘Concerned Group’ of the Mbanderu community led by Senior Traditional Councillor Erastus Kahuure. According to the Traditional Authorities Act, the faction under Kilus Nguvauva, who is also Deputy Minister of Fisheries, has declared a dispute and is still waiting for the Ministry of Local and Regional Government to appoint a commission to investigate the dispute and to make a ruling.’It is not in the best interest to allow the 113th commemoration to take place given the current deep divisions within the Ovambanderu community, the inevitable confrontation and possible bloodshed,’ the acting Ovambanderu Chief Peter Nguvauva wrote in a letter to Local and Regional Government Minister Jerry Ekandjo on Friday. The letter was seen by The Namibian. ‘After extensive deliberations and careful consideration of the possible explosive situation due to the unresolved dispute of succession after Chief Munjuku’s death, it was resolved at the meeting with the Okahandja town council that it was not in the best interest of anyone to allow the event to take place,’ Peter Nguvauva stated in the letter. ‘We request you (Minister Ekandjo) to advise the parties on the next course of action.’However, the Keharanjo group already was given the go-ahead to hold the commemoration from June 12 to 14.Paul Kahorere of the Information Secretariat of 113th Commemoration Anniversary Preparatory Committee said yesterday that the Police at Okahandja and the town’s municipality had been notified of the commemoration and the latter had nothing against it. ‘We appeal to both Minister of Safety and Security and Minister Ekandjo to call Peter Nguvauva and his faction to order. They exceeded their constitutional right and they are now tampering with our rights,’ Kahorere told The Namibian yesterday.’Their obstruction, miscarriage of justice and continued provocation must come to an end. They must be told in no uncertain terms that their actions are contributing to unnecessary cohesion, instability and polarisation of the Ovambanderu community.’ Earlier this year both Ovambanderu factions met near Epukiro in the Omaheke Region to reconcile in order to hold a joint commemoration at Okahandja, since none was held in 2008 due to the death of Chief Munjuku and the 2007 event was stopped because of strong tensions.These stem from a new tribal constitution drafted and accepted by only some community members and the Concerned Group took the matter to the High Court and won, but the Kilus faction appealed in the Supreme Court and won the case in favour of the new constitution. However, the Supreme Court also ordered the reappointment of all 11 traditional councillors fired by the late Chief Munjuku a few years earlier, while he was still alive. They are part of the Ovambanderu Supreme Council, which is now lead by Acting Chief Peter Nguvauva.The Concerned Group argues that since Keharanjo was inaugurated according to traditional rites he, and not his uncle Peter, should lead the Supreme Council. ‘We are waiting for the Ministry of Local and regional Government to resolve this issue and appoint the commission speedily, Uazenga Tjiposa, spokesperson for the group under Acting Chief Peter said.Erastus Negonga, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Local and Regional Government told The Namibian yesterday he was unaware of Thursday’s letter to call off the Okahandja event.All official correspondence sent to a Ministry must always be sent to the Permanent Secretary.’I am not aware of that letter, but I was also out of office and will be back this week,’ Negonga told The Namibian yesterday afternoon.’It will be ironic if Keharanjo, the son of Chief Munjuku and also a direct descendant of the slain Chief Kahimemua executed in 1896 to be prevented to visit the grave site at Okahandja. We will not tolerate it should he be stopped,’ a source within the Keharanjo group told The Namibian yesterday.brigitte@namibian.com.na