Thousands f lock to Omhedi for crowning

THOUSANDS of people from across Namibia, led by President Hifikepunye Pohamba, gathered at the new palace (Ouhamba) of the Ovakwanyama on Saturday for the crowning of the new Queen of Ovakwanyama, Mwadinomho Martha Kristian Nelumbu.

The new palace was also inaugurated on Saturday. The ceremony started with the traditional anointing of the new queen, a ceremony that was conducted by the royal family behind closed doors inside the palace.From there, the Queen and other members from the royal family went to the Olupale, the main reception area in the Ouhamba, where she was greeted by all her senior traditional councillors.The Queen was then taken to the inauguration ceremony area, where President Pohamba and former President Sam Nujoma, the kings and chiefs of other traditional authorities in Namibia and thousands of her people were waiting for her.All eight Oshiwambo traditional authorities, led by the King of Ondonga, Immanuel Kauluma Elifas, were represented while Chief Nguvauva Munyuku of the Ovambanderu and his delegation also came to greet the new Queen.All around one could see Ovakwanyama women and men dressed in traditional costumes, many with traditional drums known as Eengoma, ready to perform traditional dances and songs.The Queen, who was led to the podium by the Acting Chairman of the Oukwanyama Traditional Authority, Senior Traditional Councillor George Nelulu, was welcomed by President Pohamba, former President Nujoma, King Elifas and First Lady Penehupifo Pohamba.The ceremony was opened with the national anthem, the EU anthem and a prayer by Anglican Bishop Shihala Hamupembe.The history of the Ovakwanyama tribe was narrated by the historian of the Ovakwanyama, Abednego Nghifikwa, while the Queen’s acceptance speech was delivered on her behalf by her personal secretary, Nahas Ndevahoma.In her address, the Queen said she would abide by the Namibian Constitution as well as to the Traditional Authority Act, to the rule of law, national reconciliation and democracy.She said that she would accept good advice from all her people and that the doors of her Ouhamba would be open to all people, especially to the Ovakwanyama.”I don’t want to lead alone, but with you all,” she said.She thanked the committee responsible for the restoration of the Ouhamba of the Ovakwanyama.She said she would see to it that traditional laws and the laws of the country are respected and adhered to, and that all traditional leaders in Oukwanyama adhere to the traditional laws.The Queen called on her village headmen and senior headmen to work hard in the interests of their people, and to establish offices in their homes instead of serving people at cuca shops, as many of them currently do.”Stop alcohol abuse, and those people who always taking brandy bottles or Oshiwambo brandy (ombike) to village headmen or senior headmen as bribes when they have cases, must stop those practices,” she said.The queen called on all Ovakwanyama people to work hard in their mahangu fields and not to be lazy and become beggars.She also appealed to people to put an end to domestic violence.”Parents should assist and take care of their children and children should obey their parents and elderly people and should have respect among themselves,” she said.The King of Ondonga, Kauluma Elifas, who is also the Chairman of the Traditional Authority Council of Namibia, welcomed the Queen to the Traditional Authority leadership and said they would all support her.In his address, President Pohamba welcomed Queen Mwadinomho Nelumbu to the Namibian leadership, but emphasised that she ruled only over the Ovakwanyama in Namibia and not in Angola.”As we know, Oukwanyama has been cut into two by the Angolan-Namibian border, with most of the Ovakwanyama living in Angola.Angola is now another country, and those Ovakwanyama in Angola are Ovakwanyama of Angola and not of Namibia.So, the Ouhamba of Queen Mwadinomho is just for the Ovakwanyama in Namibia and not of those in Angola too.This must be clearly understood by all of us,” President Pohamba said.He told the Queen and the gathering that although traditional leaders have powers to administer communal land, the land still belongs to Government, which has the final say over it.He urged traditional leaders to administer communal land for the benefit of all their people.Former President Sam Nujoma, who spoke as President of Swapo, said that the ruling party welcomed Queen Mwadinomho and would respect her leadership.The ceremony started with the traditional anointing of the new queen, a ceremony that was conducted by the royal family behind closed doors inside the palace.From there, the Queen and other members from the royal family went to the Olupale, the main reception area in the Ouhamba, where she was greeted by all her senior traditional councillors.The Queen was then taken to the inauguration ceremony area, where President Pohamba and former President Sam Nujoma, the kings and chiefs of other traditional authorities in Namibia and thousands of her people were waiting for her. All eight Oshiwambo traditional authorities, led by the King of Ondonga, Immanuel Kauluma Elifas, were represented while Chief Nguvauva Munyuku of the Ovambanderu and his delegation also came to greet the new Queen.All around one could see Ovakwanyama women and men dressed in traditional costumes, many with traditional drums known as Eengoma, ready to perform traditional dances and songs.The Queen, who was led to the podium by the Acting Chairman of the Oukwanyama Traditional Authority, Senior Traditional Councillor George Nelulu, was welcomed by President Pohamba, former President Nujoma, King Elifas and First Lady Penehupifo Pohamba.The ceremony was opened with the national anthem, the EU anthem and a prayer by Anglican Bishop Shihala Hamupembe.The history of the Ovakwanyama tribe was narrated by the historian of the Ovakwanyama, Abednego Nghifikwa, while the Queen’s acceptance speech was delivered on her behalf by her personal secretary, Nahas Ndevahoma.In her address, the Queen said she would abide by the Namibian Constitution as well as to the Traditional Authority Act, to the rule of law, national reconciliation and democracy.She said that she would accept good advice from all her people and that the doors of her Ouhamba would be open to all people, especially to the Ovakwanyama.”I don’t want to lead alone, but with you all,” she said.She thanked the committee responsible for the restoration of the Ouhamba of the Ovakwanyama. She said she would see to it that traditional laws and the laws of the country are respected and adhered to, and that all traditional leaders in Oukwanyama adhere to the traditional laws.The Queen called on her village headmen and senior headmen to work hard in the interests of their people, and to establish offices in their homes instead of serving people at cuca shops, as many of them currently do.”Stop alcohol abuse, and those people who always taking brandy bottles or Oshiwambo brandy (ombike) to village headmen or senior headmen as bribes when they have cases, must stop those practices,” she said.The queen called on all Ovakwanyama people to work hard in their mahangu fields and not to be lazy and become beggars.She also appealed to people to put an end to domestic violence.”Parents should assist and take care of their children and children should obey their parents and elderly people and should have respect among themselves,” she said.The King of Ondonga, Kauluma Elifas, who is also the Chairman of the Traditional Authority Council of Namibia, welcomed the Queen to the Traditional Authority leadership and said they would all support her.In his address, President Pohamba welcomed Queen Mwadinomho Nelumbu to the Namibian leadership, but emphasised that she ruled only over the Ovakwanyama in Namibia and not in Angola.”As we know, Oukwanyama has been cut into two by the Angolan-Namibian border, with most of the Ovakwanyama living in Angola.Angola is now another country, and those Ovakwanyama in Angola are Ovakwanyama of Angola and not of Namibia.So, the Ouhamba of Queen Mwadinomho is just for the Ovakwanyama in Namibia and not of those in Angola too.This must be clearly understood by all of us,” President Pohamba said.He told the Queen and the gathering that although traditional leaders have powers to administer communal land, the land still belongs to Government, which has the final say over it.He urged traditional leaders to administer communal land for the benefit of all their people.Former President Sam Nujoma, who spoke as President of Swapo, said that the ruling party welcomed Queen Mwadinomho and would respect her leadership.