Traditional leaders deserve to be paid more: Moongo

DTA Member of Parliament Phillemon Moongo has called on Government to establish a special fund that will enable traditional leaders to bring criminals to court.

Moongo on Wednesday tabled a motion in the National Assembly calling for better payment, allowances and benefits for traditional leaders. According to Moongo, traditional leaders were using their own money to do their work.”I therefore propose an immediate special fund be established to transport criminals to the traditional courts,” said Moongo.He said Government also needed to ensure that traditional leaders receive a proper salary with adequate allowances so they can do their work properly.”We need to ensure that our traditional leaders, who have been economically disadvantaged by past laws, are properly looked after in an independent Namibia and that the image of kings and traditional leaders be properly recognised according to article 23 (2) our Constitution,” said Moongo.He added that many traditional laws were not in line with national laws and that situation needed to be corrected.He said traditional leaders performed a noble job by uniting people and solving traditional disputes and tension in communities.Moongo said traditional leaders were paid between N$700 and N$1 600 a month, with no transport allowances or overtime compensation.Moreover, he said traditional leaders needed Government vehicles, as had been the case during the colonial dispensation.For example, he said, headmen were now hiking from Onaanya to the Ondangwa tribal court or from Okongo to Ohangwena every morning.According to Moongo, traditional leaders were using their own money to do their work.”I therefore propose an immediate special fund be established to transport criminals to the traditional courts,” said Moongo.He said Government also needed to ensure that traditional leaders receive a proper salary with adequate allowances so they can do their work properly.”We need to ensure that our traditional leaders, who have been economically disadvantaged by past laws, are properly looked after in an independent Namibia and that the image of kings and traditional leaders be properly recognised according to article 23 (2) our Constitution,” said Moongo.He added that many traditional laws were not in line with national laws and that situation needed to be corrected.He said traditional leaders performed a noble job by uniting people and solving traditional disputes and tension in communities.Moongo said traditional leaders were paid between N$700 and N$1 600 a month, with no transport allowances or overtime compensation.Moreover, he said traditional leaders needed Government vehicles, as had been the case during the colonial dispensation.For example, he said, headmen were now hiking from Onaanya to the Ondangwa tribal court or from Okongo to Ohangwena every morning.