Africa-Press – Namibia. THIMBUKUSHU-SPEAKING people in Kavango East region have expressed discontent with the introduction of written learner’s licence tests in Rukwangali as a local language in the Divundu Natis centre.
Their grievance stems from the recent announcement by the Roads Authority (RA) introducing learner’s licence tests to be written in several local languages at all Natis centres countrywide. The languages introduced are Khoekhoegowab (Nama/Damara), Otjiherero, Afrikaans, Oshiwambo (Oshikwanyama), Silozi and Rukwangali.
Rukwangali was introduced at seven centres countrywide, including at Divundu. However, the aggrieved Thimbukushu speakers want to know what yardstick was used to introduce Rukwangali, and not Thimbukushu, which is the vernacular language spoken at Divundu. Historian Shampapi Shiremo, who is also a Hambukushu native, explains that the two languages are totally different.
“Introducing Rukwangali at Divundu is totally misplaced. A person from Mbukushu, who has never been exposed to Kwangali, cannot read and write Rukwangali. There are many things that they will not understand because the two languages have different orthographies,” he says.
Divundu is 200km east of Rundu. Shiremo dismissed the misconception that Rukwangali is commonly spoken by all Kavango people or that the language is widely understood by all, like in the instance of Oshiwambo. He says unlike in Oshiwambo, Rukavango languages are not dialects of one language.
“It should be rectified. There is a distance between the two tribes and their languages in terms of their geographic location. There are Gciriku in between. Kwangalis are close to Kwanyamas while Mbukushus are in the far-east close to Silozi-speaking people,” he explains.
Another Hambukushu, Albeth Kevare, added that the RA can ask for assistance to translate the test papers into Thimbukushu. “It’s completely useless to use Rukwangali at Divundu. It’s better for the people of Mbukushu to rather take the test in English,” said Kevare.
The inhabitants of Divundu village have since, through their lawyer Bernhard Tjatjara, demanded that the RA introduce Thimbukushu as a local language for written learner’s licence tests.
“The introduction of Rukwangali at Divundu is especially more troubling as it defies logic and it is inequitable. Rukwangali is not a local language/vernacular for Divundu village, but Thimbukushu is,” said the residents in their demand letter.
