Pohamba warns tribal chiefs

PRESIDENT Hifikepunye Pohamba has called upon traditional leaders who want to join politics to leave the traditional leadership, saying that they cannot be traditional leaders and the same time political leaders.

“You cannot serve two lords at the same time, and I am calling upon those traditional leaders who want to or have joined politics to resign from traditional leadership and come and join us in politics,” Pohamba told a Swapo rally at Oshakati on Saturday. “I am a headman of my village of Okanghudi in Ohangwena Region, but because I am a politician, I have appointed somebody in my place there to serve as a village headman, a traditional leader,” he said.The President did not make clear which traditional leaders he was referring to, but some sources said he was talking about those, especially in the Oukwanyama Traditional Authority, who have joined the opposition Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP).Critics have pointed out that the Head of State had never said anything about traditional leaders active in Swapo politics.Pohamba also lashed out at the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation, saying it should reconsider some of its programming which wasn’t in the interest of reconciliation and development.He claimed that the NBC was being misused by some “bad elements” in society to promote tribalism and provoke hatred, instability, and disunity among Namibians.”Nowadays, when you listen to some NBC programmes, you just hear people insult each other.Why are we insulting each other? What do we want to reach with insulting each other? “Let us all strive for peace and respect for each other, because insulting each other will eventually end in bloodshed,” Pohamba said.”I am a headman of my village of Okanghudi in Ohangwena Region, but because I am a politician, I have appointed somebody in my place there to serve as a village headman, a traditional leader,” he said.The President did not make clear which traditional leaders he was referring to, but some sources said he was talking about those, especially in the Oukwanyama Traditional Authority, who have joined the opposition Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP).Critics have pointed out that the Head of State had never said anything about traditional leaders active in Swapo politics.Pohamba also lashed out at the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation, saying it should reconsider some of its programming which wasn’t in the interest of reconciliation and development.He claimed that the NBC was being misused by some “bad elements” in society to promote tribalism and provoke hatred, instability, and disunity among Namibians.”Nowadays, when you listen to some NBC programmes, you just hear people insult each other.Why are we insulting each other? What do we want to reach with insulting each other? “Let us all strive for peace and respect for each other, because insulting each other will eventually end in bloodshed,” Pohamba said.