Paramount fight: Katjiua says storm is over
Professor Mutjinde Katjiua of the Ovaherero Traditional Authority (OTA) yesterday reiterated to his community that he is their legitimate paramount chief.
Katjiua, who is in a tug-of-war with OTA chairperson Chief Vipuira Kapuuo over the Ovaherero chieftaincy, released a press statement yesterday in which he said the 'storm' was over.
“I want to inform you that the storm is over, and there should be no doubt in your mind that I am the paramount chief. The Ovaherero Chiefs' Council has nominated, designated and elected me following an established process.”
As part of that process, the council took him to specified holy fires to link his being with the ancestors, he said.
In April, the High Court told Katjiua that he has no locus standi to act in the capacity of paramount chief when he sought to interdict Kapuuo from hosting a chiefs' council meeting, and ordered him to foot the latter's legal costs in that matter from his own pocket.
Kapuuo and his faction insist that laws and customs prescribe that he should have assumed the role of acting paramount chief by virtue of him being the chairperson of the chiefs’ council, following the death of paramount chief Vekuii Rukoro earlier this year.
This was disputed by Katjiua, who chaired a transitional committee constituted to fill the vacuum left by Rukoro’s death, and was subsequently anointed as paramount chief by some chiefs’ council members.
Advisor to Kapuuo, Uazuva Kaumbi, yesterday shrugged off Katjiua’s announcement, saying they don’t recognise it.
“This is precisely what the review application is all about; Chief Kapuuo is challenging that process in court. Nothing new, really.”
No to sell-outs
In his statement, Katjiua added that the symbols of power that signal the supremacy of the paramount chief position will be handed over to him over the weekend of 15 to 17 July.
“We are very much aware of external forces to destabilise the OTA, to install a leader within the OTA who will be agreeable to the sell-out joint declaration that both Germany and Namibia want to force onto the Ovaherero and Nama [people] at the expense of [these people] the world over.
“We and the Nama Traditional Leaders Association are dealing with this systematically,” he said.
The ritual will coincide with Rukoro’s tombstone unveiling on the Sunday morning.
“Ovaherero leadership transitions have never been without challenges, but we have always overcome them, thus the minor challenges thrown at the authority are manageable and are under control. The most important thing is that we remain focused,” Katjiua said.
He stressed that his reign will be one of committed governance and institutional capacity development that will prioritise the social welfare, health, culture, arts and education of the Ovaherero people.
It will also include wealth creation, economic advancement and restorative justice, he said.
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Katjiua, who is in a tug-of-war with OTA chairperson Chief Vipuira Kapuuo over the Ovaherero chieftaincy, released a press statement yesterday in which he said the 'storm' was over.
“I want to inform you that the storm is over, and there should be no doubt in your mind that I am the paramount chief. The Ovaherero Chiefs' Council has nominated, designated and elected me following an established process.”
As part of that process, the council took him to specified holy fires to link his being with the ancestors, he said.
In April, the High Court told Katjiua that he has no locus standi to act in the capacity of paramount chief when he sought to interdict Kapuuo from hosting a chiefs' council meeting, and ordered him to foot the latter's legal costs in that matter from his own pocket.
Kapuuo and his faction insist that laws and customs prescribe that he should have assumed the role of acting paramount chief by virtue of him being the chairperson of the chiefs’ council, following the death of paramount chief Vekuii Rukoro earlier this year.
This was disputed by Katjiua, who chaired a transitional committee constituted to fill the vacuum left by Rukoro’s death, and was subsequently anointed as paramount chief by some chiefs’ council members.
Advisor to Kapuuo, Uazuva Kaumbi, yesterday shrugged off Katjiua’s announcement, saying they don’t recognise it.
“This is precisely what the review application is all about; Chief Kapuuo is challenging that process in court. Nothing new, really.”
No to sell-outs
In his statement, Katjiua added that the symbols of power that signal the supremacy of the paramount chief position will be handed over to him over the weekend of 15 to 17 July.
“We are very much aware of external forces to destabilise the OTA, to install a leader within the OTA who will be agreeable to the sell-out joint declaration that both Germany and Namibia want to force onto the Ovaherero and Nama [people] at the expense of [these people] the world over.
“We and the Nama Traditional Leaders Association are dealing with this systematically,” he said.
The ritual will coincide with Rukoro’s tombstone unveiling on the Sunday morning.
“Ovaherero leadership transitions have never been without challenges, but we have always overcome them, thus the minor challenges thrown at the authority are manageable and are under control. The most important thing is that we remain focused,” Katjiua said.
He stressed that his reign will be one of committed governance and institutional capacity development that will prioritise the social welfare, health, culture, arts and education of the Ovaherero people.
It will also include wealth creation, economic advancement and restorative justice, he said.
[email protected]
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