Dissolve the leadership
DISGRUNTLED NATIVE WRITES:
Furtherance to the ongoing impasse between the “Stephanus families” I am left with no other option than to resort to the media for practical and coherent reasons. A Working Committee was established at the Vaalgras Community meeting held 19th November 2022, which was ordered to report back within ninety days (90) and which they failed to do because of personal differences. At the next Community meeting held 22nd April 2023, it was reported that they differed on basic principles of a choice and procedures of electing a successor, as a chief and/or headman for the community. All we need to do is to follow the provisions of Section 4 (1) (b) of the Traditional Authorities and Article 1 sub article 1.6 of the Vaalgras Customary Law.
In my personal view, the sitting Traditional Authority is entertaining this impasse, simply because they are busy gathering and eating different types of allowances from different institutions, viz. the GIPF, Veterans Fund, State Pension, Genocide Committee and meeting’s allowances, just to mention but a few. Therefore, such a person would not be interested and in a haste to leave the table before his/her stomach is looked well after. Thus, such a leadership would enjoy and entertain such an impasse as alluded to above. The community entrusted this responsibility to facilitate the process, but they have failed us in a space of two (2) years, now in terms of the legislative provisions, it comes back to the community to exercise our constitutional democratic right.
The Government of the Republic of Namibia was given ample time to either amend the Traditional Authorities Act No. 25 of 2000 or to come up with strategic interventions to resolve this leadership vacuum and squabbles but failed to do so for political reasons. We are now at crossroads that some inhabitants are enjoying.
In terms of Section 5 subsection 10 (b) of the above referred to Act and the apparent Article 1 sub article 1.6 of the Customary Law of the Vaalgras Traditional Authority, coupled with Section 14 (b) of the Traditional Authorities Act as referred to above, which deals with the limitation of the powers of Traditional Authorities, the boll is back into the sovereign and legitimate hands of the community to elect a hief and/or a headman.
Furthermore, in terms of Section 8subsection (2), the members of that traditional community may designate in accordance with this Act a member of that traditional community to remove such a chief, if sufficient reasons exist. All this in terms of Section 3 (2) (d) of the same Act, such a candidate must reside within Vaalgras and not rule from elsewhere.
However, Articles 66 of the Namibian Constitution, we as residents of that specific area have that basic fundamental constitutional right to appeal for repealing of these inhuman laws.
As far as I am concerned, the Vaalgras Customary Law must first be reviewed before thinking about electing a successor, whomsoever he/she might be. The easy way is the Late Chief had already nominated an eligible a serving member on the sitting Council, so what could be so difficult. People are condoning unnecessary things, which could clearly indicate that they are sitting on a time bomb and which is in essence uncalled for.
According to a version of the Acting Chief they are apparently relying on a Report of a divided persona non grata ‘Working Committee” as an additional strategy of time wasting and causing frustration among and division among the small impoverished and neglected traditional community. The Working Committee is a very appropriate tool of a visible delaying tactic. Therefore, I would once appeal to the Government to enact laws, which will better administer and control the respective Traditional Authorities in the country for a better tomorrow.
We can feel the vacuum and the cold without a chief; otherwise, the Government should take that golden step to abolish them by amending the Constitution. Many golden opportunities are coming up, especially in the ||Kharas Region where we resides, viz. the much talk about Green Hydrogen multi million capital project, re-opening of Brukaros Meat Processors and the Neckertal Dam irrigation project etc. These are projects meant at revamping and revitalization of the economy of the Great ||Kharas Region, all these are not just concerns of a given individual and should therefore be given the necessary pertinent attention attached to conflict resolution before the upcoming presidential and national elections to make a real difference and to serve the electorate’s political interest.
* Rubrieke, meningstukke, briewe en SMS’e deur lesers en meningvormers weerspieël nie noodwendig die siening van Republikein of Namibia Media Holdings (NMH) nie. As mediahuis onderskryf NMH die etiese kode vir Namibiese media, soos toegepas deur die Media-ombudsman.
Furtherance to the ongoing impasse between the “Stephanus families” I am left with no other option than to resort to the media for practical and coherent reasons. A Working Committee was established at the Vaalgras Community meeting held 19th November 2022, which was ordered to report back within ninety days (90) and which they failed to do because of personal differences. At the next Community meeting held 22nd April 2023, it was reported that they differed on basic principles of a choice and procedures of electing a successor, as a chief and/or headman for the community. All we need to do is to follow the provisions of Section 4 (1) (b) of the Traditional Authorities and Article 1 sub article 1.6 of the Vaalgras Customary Law.
In my personal view, the sitting Traditional Authority is entertaining this impasse, simply because they are busy gathering and eating different types of allowances from different institutions, viz. the GIPF, Veterans Fund, State Pension, Genocide Committee and meeting’s allowances, just to mention but a few. Therefore, such a person would not be interested and in a haste to leave the table before his/her stomach is looked well after. Thus, such a leadership would enjoy and entertain such an impasse as alluded to above. The community entrusted this responsibility to facilitate the process, but they have failed us in a space of two (2) years, now in terms of the legislative provisions, it comes back to the community to exercise our constitutional democratic right.
The Government of the Republic of Namibia was given ample time to either amend the Traditional Authorities Act No. 25 of 2000 or to come up with strategic interventions to resolve this leadership vacuum and squabbles but failed to do so for political reasons. We are now at crossroads that some inhabitants are enjoying.
In terms of Section 5 subsection 10 (b) of the above referred to Act and the apparent Article 1 sub article 1.6 of the Customary Law of the Vaalgras Traditional Authority, coupled with Section 14 (b) of the Traditional Authorities Act as referred to above, which deals with the limitation of the powers of Traditional Authorities, the boll is back into the sovereign and legitimate hands of the community to elect a hief and/or a headman.
Furthermore, in terms of Section 8subsection (2), the members of that traditional community may designate in accordance with this Act a member of that traditional community to remove such a chief, if sufficient reasons exist. All this in terms of Section 3 (2) (d) of the same Act, such a candidate must reside within Vaalgras and not rule from elsewhere.
However, Articles 66 of the Namibian Constitution, we as residents of that specific area have that basic fundamental constitutional right to appeal for repealing of these inhuman laws.
As far as I am concerned, the Vaalgras Customary Law must first be reviewed before thinking about electing a successor, whomsoever he/she might be. The easy way is the Late Chief had already nominated an eligible a serving member on the sitting Council, so what could be so difficult. People are condoning unnecessary things, which could clearly indicate that they are sitting on a time bomb and which is in essence uncalled for.
According to a version of the Acting Chief they are apparently relying on a Report of a divided persona non grata ‘Working Committee” as an additional strategy of time wasting and causing frustration among and division among the small impoverished and neglected traditional community. The Working Committee is a very appropriate tool of a visible delaying tactic. Therefore, I would once appeal to the Government to enact laws, which will better administer and control the respective Traditional Authorities in the country for a better tomorrow.
We can feel the vacuum and the cold without a chief; otherwise, the Government should take that golden step to abolish them by amending the Constitution. Many golden opportunities are coming up, especially in the ||Kharas Region where we resides, viz. the much talk about Green Hydrogen multi million capital project, re-opening of Brukaros Meat Processors and the Neckertal Dam irrigation project etc. These are projects meant at revamping and revitalization of the economy of the Great ||Kharas Region, all these are not just concerns of a given individual and should therefore be given the necessary pertinent attention attached to conflict resolution before the upcoming presidential and national elections to make a real difference and to serve the electorate’s political interest.
* Rubrieke, meningstukke, briewe en SMS’e deur lesers en meningvormers weerspieël nie noodwendig die siening van Republikein of Namibia Media Holdings (NMH) nie. As mediahuis onderskryf NMH die etiese kode vir Namibiese media, soos toegepas deur die Media-ombudsman.
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