Queen of Ovakwanyama visits her people

THE queen of Ovakwanyama, Martha Mwadinomho Kristian Nelumbu, is visiting all her people and calling upon them to remain united and to co-operate with other Namibians as brothers and sisters.

On her first official visit since she was crowned late last year, Queen Martha Nelumbu visited Omungwelume village in the Ohaingu traditional district on Saturday. The Oukwanyama tribe is divided into eight traditional districts, of which Ohaingu is the largest.Although the queen’s palace is in the Omhedi district, according to protocol the queen has to pay her first visit to the biggest district.The queen, accompanied by her advisers, received a warm welcome from thousands of cheering people at Omungwelume.Some children even climbed into trees to get a good view of their queen.The Police had a challenging task of maintaining order, as everyone wanted to meet the queen.At a meeting in the traditional hall, acting Senior Headman Ohaingu Nghidinihamba Ndilula, told the Queen that crime was the major concern in the district.One of the queen’s advisers, former Cabinet Minister Hadino Hishongwa, told the meeting that the construction of the queen’s palace at Omhedi was still far from complete and the help of her people was needed.”The palace still needs cattle kraals, homes for the queen’s assistants, advisers and secretaries, houses for traditional bodyguards, traditional senior headmen’s huts and mainly the queen’s office.That is the task of the Ovakwanyama women to build it as soon as possibly,” Hishongwa said.After the gathering, a fundraising event was held and pledges of more than N$3 000 were made towards the construction of the palace.From Ohaingu, the Queen will return to Omhedi and wait for her traditional council to arrange her next visit to another district.The Oukwanyama tribe is divided into eight traditional districts, of which Ohaingu is the largest.Although the queen’s palace is in the Omhedi district, according to protocol the queen has to pay her first visit to the biggest district.The queen, accompanied by her advisers, received a warm welcome from thousands of cheering people at Omungwelume.Some children even climbed into trees to get a good view of their queen.The Police had a challenging task of maintaining order, as everyone wanted to meet the queen.At a meeting in the traditional hall, acting Senior Headman Ohaingu Nghidinihamba Ndilula, told the Queen that crime was the major concern in the district.One of the queen’s advisers, former Cabinet Minister Hadino Hishongwa, told the meeting that the construction of the queen’s palace at Omhedi was still far from complete and the help of her people was needed.”The palace still needs cattle kraals, homes for the queen’s assistants, advisers and secretaries, houses for traditional bodyguards, traditional senior headmen’s huts and mainly the queen’s office.That is the task of the Ovakwanyama women to build it as soon as possibly,” Hishongwa said. After the gathering, a fundraising event was held and pledges of more than N$3 000 were made towards the construction of the palace.From Ohaingu, the Queen will return to Omhedi and wait for her traditional council to arrange her next visit to another district.