OTA says Govt ‘hates Ovaherero’

THE Ovaherero Traditional Authority (OTA) under the leadership of paramount chief Kuaima Riruako is accusing Government of fuelling tribal conflicts between some tribes ‘by advancing some tribes to invade others’, and that the ruling party ‘hates the most the Ovaherero’.

Addressing the near clashes between Herero speakers and a group under chief Stefanus Gariseb of the /Gobanin Traditional Authority at Otjinene two weeks ago, the OTA says Ovaherero have not just been pushed out of Gam, but are now also threatened to give up grazing land in the Otjinene area.Chief Gariseb had taken more than 100 people to one of the Otjinene communal areas for resettlement on 20 hectares, but was stopped by an angry mob of an estimated 150 kierie- and panga-wielding Herero people from moving to the area to show the beneficiaries their plots.It would appear that the Herero contingent was particularly angered by the fact that among the beneficiaries were Oshiwambo, Kavango and Tswana-speaking Namibians, which have been branded as ‘outsiders’ in the Otjinene constituency. The conflict was so intense that chief Gariseb fled to Windhoek fearing for his life. He has since returned to the Otjinene area after the police reassured him that his safety would be secured. Jerobeam Tjandua, secretary to Herero chief of the Otjinene district, Ismael Metirupi, on Friday said the area where Gariseb had wanted to move the beneficiaries is grazing land for Herero communal farmers, adding: ‘The Herero people [which he estimated to count up to 5 000 households in the area] are forced to be ruled by Gariseb because he says he has jurisdiction over the area’. The OTA maintains that traditional chiefs and traditional authorities do not have jurisdiction over areas, but only over their subjects.Therefore, the OTA said, the area of jurisdiction of chief Gariseb given to him ‘by the Swapo Governor in Omaheke [Laura McLeod-Katjirua] is illegal and therefore unconstitutional’. ‘The OvaHerero people in the Otjinene constituency do not have a problem with Damaras being resettled in the constituency, but the inhabitants, traditional leaders, and the elected councillor [Metirupi] must be recognised and consulted,’ said Theophelus Uahongora on behalf of the OTA. After the clash was averted by the Namibian Police, a meeting was scheduled between the conflicting parties and governor McLeod-Katjirua on March 19. Before that, McLeod reportedly had a meeting with President Hifikepunye Pohamba. Chief Gariseb and Herero Chief Maharero did not show up for the meeting, with the OTA saying that Gariseb was ‘purposely’ advised to stay away from the meeting.But Gariseb’s secretary, Bethuel ‘Five’ Hochobeb, said the Gariseb group sent a representative, Milner Kazorondu, to that meeting. McLeod-Katjirua eventually referred the matter to the Ministry of Lands and Resettlement.Hochobeb said the /Gobanin Traditional Authority has decided to work within the parameters of the land reform legislation, as well as consulting with the neighbouring farmers – which he said is 80 per cent Herero speaking – for of any new land allocations. But he asked rhetorically: ‘Are we so naïve to think that 80 per cent will give permission for people from outside to settle there?’’The 20-hectare land allocation is a Government programme; the chief is only doing the duties of the government,’ said Hochobeb. ‘No-one has the right to stop this, but if people continue to do so, then the government must step in.’ But which part of the country belongs to the Herero, the OTA leadership is now asking. ‘During the late 1920 onwards we were moved by the colonial forces from the concentration camps in central Namibia to various communal areas where we are currently living. Those areas are not ours; they belong to Government for it to resettle people from other areas in order to canvas political support,’ said the OTA. The OTA went on to say that it has become evident that chief Gariseb and the Damara community from all over the country ‘which he invited’ have the ‘full backing’ of President Pohamba and governor McLeod-Katjirua, the latter of which purportedly persuaded other traditional authorities from the Otjinene constituency to accept chief Gariseb as recognised traditional leader with a right to resettle his people ‘if he wishes to do so, any place, anywhere and any time’.