Africa-Press – Namibia. Auleria Wakudumo
Traditional authorities without recognised chiefs say they were excluded from a workshop on amending the Traditional Authorities Act held in Otjiwarongo last week.
These authorities claim they were not invited because they have no recognised chiefs.
They have raised concerns about fairness and inclusion in a process that affects all traditional authorities in Namibia.
Advisor of the Daure Daman Traditional Authority, Klemens /Awarab, said the decision was unfair.
He said the authority participated in a similar engagement in 2023. At the time, their chief attended and contributed to discussions on the same matter.
“Now that we do not have a chief, we are excluded from final decisions on issues we previously contributed to. It is not fair. All traditional authorities should be included, whether they have a chief or not,” he said.
He added that several traditional authorities in southern Namibia are currently without chiefs. As a result, many may have missed the workshop and key discussions.
Senior councillor of the Hai//om Traditional Authority, Johannes Haneb, also expressed similar concerns.
He said he only learned about the workshop after it had already taken place. He stated that he personally contacted the ministry but was told they were not part of the meeting.
“I am wondering what was discussed, whether it will affect us and why we were excluded,” said the traditional leader.
Haneb stressed that amendments to the Act are important to all traditional authorities. He said exclusion from such discussions creates uncertainty.
The issue is especially sensitive for the Hai//om community. The group has long standing concerns over ancestral land, particularly in Etosha National Park.
The Hai//om community expressed that they were displaced from the area during the establishment of the park. They are now seeking recognition of their ancestral land rights.
The matter is currently before the High Court. The outcome could have broader implications for land rights and recognition of traditional authorities.
Haneb said that discussions on amending the Act could directly affect their case.
“We are dealing with our ancestral land issue in Etosha. If such matters were discussed, then we should have been part of the meeting,” he stressed.
Traditional leaders argue that excluding certain authorities risks leaving out key voices. They say the amendment process should be inclusive and transparent.
The spokesperson for the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development, Mbatjavi Kahuure, said that the ministry invited only gazetted traditional authorities to the event. Kahuure made it clear that those not gazetted are not yet recognised. Thus, no invitation was extended to them.
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