Rukoro fights village chief status

PARAMOUNT chief Vekuii Rukoro yesterday vowed to sue the government if it does not change its intentions to confer him the status of just being the chief of the traditional community of Aminuis.

Rukoro was first recognised by his traditional title of “ombara otjitambi” and as chief of the Ovaherero traditional community back in December 2016. However, President Hage Geingob in a Government Gazette dated 15 August 2018 withdrew this 2016 gazette, and instead chose to recognise Rukoro as chief of the traditional community of Aminuis, by adding Aminuis as the physical address.

Aminuis is a small settlement, situated 200 kilometres from the Omaheke region’s capital of Gobabis, where people mainly farm with cattle, goats and sheep.

This is the home town of the former paramount chief, the late Kuaima Riruako, who died in June 2014. After his death, Fanuel Tjombe acted for a few weeks before death claimed him as well, leading to the appointment of Rukoro in September 2014.

Speaking to The Namibian yesterday, Rukoro said this downgrade is discriminatory, and a violation of Article 10 of the Namibian Constitution, as he was not consulted before the decision was made. “Similarly, to the extent that I was not given a right to be heard before being reduced from being a paramount chief nationally to a local village chief of Aminuis, this is a blatant violation of Article 18 of the Constitution.

“Strangely, I am not even a resident of Aminuis, and the Ovaherero Traditional Authority (OTA)’s head office has always been at the Commando in Katutura,” said Rukoro.

He said the Ovaherero people he leads reside all over Namibia and not just at Aminuis, citing places like Otjinene, Epukiro, Otjombinde, Okondjatu, Gam, Eiseb, Otjimbingwe, Omatjete, Kunene and Ruacana as well as the entire Otjozondjupa region.

“Why are the royal house chiefs, who are anyway merely leaders of their clans only, not confined in a similar manner?” he asked. A press statement issued by OTA spokesperson Uazuva Kaumbi said the addition of Aminuis as the physical address is politically motivated to try and limit Riruako’s jurisdiction.

He said those behind the addition of the Aminus address are blue-eyed traditional authorities for which the President should not have risked so much. “This is the political joke of the year. We call upon the President to rectify this gross error and fire those responsible for misleading him.

What is so special about these blue-eyed traditional authorities that the government should risk so much for, year in and year out, embarrassing the head of state to such an extent?” asked Kaumbi.

He also accused the German foreign office and the German ambassador to Namibia, Christian-Matthias Schlaga, of being involved in this strategy. Urban and rural development minister Peya Mushelenga and his deputy Derek Klazen did not pick up their phones, nor did they respond to messages sent to them via telephone and WhatsApp.

The German embassy denied any involvement in this decision of the Namibian government.

The Namibian government recognises five Ovaherero/Ovambanderu traditional authorities and royal houses, which are the Kambazembi Traditional Authority, the Maharero Traditional Authority and the Zeraerua Traditional Authority, the Ovambanderu Traditional Authority as well as the Ovaherero Traditional Authority.

Ever since Rukoro’s appointment, there has been division between the Maharero royal houses and Rukoro when it comes to commemorations of events and genocide issues.

Phanuel Kaapama, member of the Maharero Royal House, led by chief Tjinaani Maharero, said he has not yet seen the Government Gazette to comment on it.

However, Kaapama viewed the former division between Riruako and the Maharero royal house as normal disputes which happen in a democratic country.

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