Tribal Undercurrents In The Kunene Region

THE issue of tribe in African politics has always been tricky to concretise in definitional terms. It can be a perception by those who feel that they are on the receiving end of the political system.

But it can be real when one observes the systematic exclusion of one group by another from life-chances and opportunities. The sociologist W. I. Thomas, one of the leading members of the Chicago School of Sociology, famously observed that, ‘if men define situations as real, they are real in their consequences.’It is with that formulation by W. I. Thomas in mind that I look at the issue of tribalism which I have been hearing about as I try to keep my ear close to the ground and my eyes on the wider political horizon during my month-long stay and travel in the Kunene. As most of us know, two erstwhile tribal entities, the former Damaraland and Kaokoland, were lumped together to form the sprawling Kunene Region after independence. And as the history of colonialism would have it, not all regions were ‘developed’ at the same level.And Kaokoland obviously didn’t see much development during the colonial era both in terms of the physical infrastructure as well as social development, especially in the area of education and other cultural aspects. The situation has not changed much after independence either and yet it is an area with a lot of potential. Thus people here, especially in Opuwo and Epupa, are being neglected, humiliated and being left behind again like in colonial times, but this time by their own Government. That might help to explain why most of the areas of tribal contestation tend to revolve mainly around issues of education and the main culprit here is the Kunene Regional Education Directorate. Thus I’m using a sociology of culture to understand a sociology of politics which, of course, is cast in tribal politics with its attendant consequences of exclusion and frustration. The story goes like this: the Damaras tend to be more educated, both before and after independence, than their neighbours, the Ovahimba/Herero in Kunene Region. But that doesn’t mean that there is no crop of educated Ovahimba around. Thus, most of the problems have revolved around issues of promotional posts and employment practices, composition of interviewing panels, awarding of tenders and projects, non-compliance with government policies, among others.Let us in turn dwell on some of those issues. Although promotional posts are advertised, this is mainly done as formality. Because at the end of the day there is a filter for the whole process in the form of the interviewing panels to sift a potential candidate, which would on the whole, mainly consist of Damara speaking residents of the Region – same tribe, same language, and same district – thus no diversity. Thus the venues are determined by the Regional Education District to keep them close to Khorixas (by the way it is no longer the regional capital but Opuwo) but the Director and Deputy are still residing in Khorixas. Thus the Education Director sometimes just goes ahead and appoints candidates who were not recommended by the School Boards in the districts. Instances such as those which happened at Otjitoko Primary School, Orumana Combined School and Hungwa Primary School without consulting the respective School Boards. The Deputy Director (Kunene Region) a Damara speaker, is said to have considerable influence over the Director, who hails from Caprivi, and they being the two prominent figures in the Education Directorate in Kunene, make sure that the status quo is maintained. Related to the above is that most of the working people, for example cleaners, laundry workers and ordinary teachers are drawn mainly from the Damara-speaking Namibians. Also close to 90 per cent of workers in the Kunene Regional Office (Opuwo) are Damara-speaking. Also most government tenders and projects are mostly given to one tribe, even the most mundane like rubbish collection at schools or de-bushing along the roads in the district. Thus making one tribe the beneficiary of the modicum of whatever development is coming to the region.There is thus a feeling here that Government policies, especially the one on affirmative action, are not being adhered to or followed the way they should be. Thus people like Ovahimba, Ovatua, Ovazemba and women groups are not given enough opportunities to partake in the development of the region.The Director and his Deputy are aware of the problems and the complaints from the affected communities but they would only turn a blind eye. It is felt that since the two directors are not from this region (Kaokoland) they might not have the interests, wishes and aspirations of the locals at heart. What we are witnessing at the regional level is symptomatic of our national politics where tribalism is alive and well. Those who deny its existence are basically those benefiting from it economically. Hopefully with the appointment of ‘uncle’ Joshua Hoebeb, our former High Commissioner to Botswana and a nationalist at heart, as the new Governor for Kunene, some of those problems will be addressed. But it is the singular responsibility of the Ministry of Education to look into these long-standing problems more seriously to avoid tribal rivalries.