Africa-Press – Namibia. THE majority of the Ovaherero Traditional Authority (OTA) chiefs council says it does not recognise the appointment of Mutjinde Katjiua as the paramount chief of the Ovaherero people.
The council says it also does not recognise the appointment of chief reverend Boas Tjingaete as acting paramount chief until the assumption of the new chief.
In a statement yesterday, OTA chiefs council chairperson Vipuira Kapuuo said the appointments were irregular and unprocedural. Katjiua and Tjingaete were appointed over the weekend at Onderombapa in the Aminuis constituency. Katjiua’s name would have to be confirmed by the Ovaherero senate.
Thereafter, the coronation would be conducted after the completion of the funeral rites for the late paramount chief, advocate Vekuii Rukoro, and the ‘Lion of the Red Flag’, general field marshal Ismael Kavikamburua Kamuhapita.
According to tradition, Kapuuo is supposed to be the acting paramount chief until a new chief is appointed. He says the meeting over the weekend was not sanctioned by him, and was only attended by nine of the 28 chiefs and five of the 17 Red Flag commandos. However, the statement by the transitional committee on Sunday says 129 delegates attended the meeting, with some from Botswana and South Africa.
“This means at least 74 delegates were not authorised chiefs council members. We, the majority of the chiefs council, do not recognise the alleged appointment of Mutjinde Katjiua as paramount chief designate. The process is irregular as the chiefs council does not have the authority to select a paramount chief designate,” Kapuuo says.
He says candidates’ names are put forward for debate among roughly 470 members of the Ovaherero Senate to designate a new paramount chief at a properly constituted meeting of the senate only.
Kapuuo says before the meeting, he demanded that the minority group cease their activities. The group, however, went ahead with the meeting, taking resolutions that have “no force or effect”, he says.
The council says it does not recognise the transitional committee that was created about six months ago after the death of Rukoro either. LEGAL THREATS
Kapuuo has approached his lawyers, PD Theron & Associates, and says he will approach the High Court for an interdict against any person seeking to execute any decision taken at the meeting over the weekend, and will apply for a cost order against such persons in their personal capacity.
The lawyers also say the OTA should immediately stop issuing correspondence without the chairperson of the chiefs council’s permission. “Any person that transgresses this direct instruction will be subjected to disciplinary proceedings,” they say.
Meanwhile, the chiefs council plans holding a properly constituted and authorised meeting at the end of January. OTA transitional committee acting secretary general Nandiuasora Mazeingo yesterday said they would host a press conference to address the various issues around the appointments today.
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