By William Mbangula
Oshakati
The Queen of Ovakwanyama, Martha Nelumbu, has suspended the Senior Headman of Okelemba, Lucas Shinedima, for alleged insubordination.
Oukwanyama Traditional Authority spokesperson, Michael Heita, confirmed the incident to New Era.
He said Shinedima was suspended for refusing to settle his late elder brother’s debt. His brother, Matheus Shinedima, died in 2005. Matheus owed Lucas Nghiitwikwa 11 herd of cattle lent to him in the 1960s. After Matheus’ death, Nghiitwikwa started to demand his cattle from the suspended headman, who denied involvement in the deal.
Heita said the reason for Shinedima’s suspension is debatable because all along his brother has been around but Nghiitwikwa never demanded his cattle from him. Instead, he chose to wait until his death and only then did he ask for payment from the deceased’s brother, who was not part of the deal.
He said the course of action taken (suspension of the senior headman) is harsh since there are other options that could have been taken against the senior headman if at all he was guilty of anything.
Sources told New Era that the reason for Shinedima’s suspension was just a ruse to bring back former DTA MP Gottlieb Dan into the mainstream of the traditional authority in Oukwanyama.
Dan, who also attended the meeting on November 13, was ousted some years ago by Shinedima as Senior headman of Okelemba. Apparently Dan’s wife, Sipora Weyulu who is close to the Queen and has now taken over the position of Senior Headman of Ohaingu in the place of her brother, Victor Weyulu, is behind the move against Shinedima. Her brother died in 2005.
New Era was also informed that the move to replace the headman is rooted in the formation of the Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP with some traditional leaders sympathetic to Hidipo Hamutenya’s party allegedly trying to flush out Swapo Party supporters and replace them with RDP’s. Sipora attended the meeting that suspended Shinedima.
Meanwhile, during the same meeting on Tuesday, attended by Queen Nelumbu and presided over by George Nelulu, the Chairman of Oukwanyama Traditional Authority, a decision was taken that Omatando Village 2 near Ongwediva remain without a headman for the next three years. The last headman died last year.
Contrary to Government policy of decentralisation and bringing services closer to the people, the residents of Omatando are now required to travel at least 140 km to get service, which could have been provided in their village by a headman.
The decision was prompted by the power struggle in the village between two brothers. The power struggle was apparently instigated by the Senior Headman of Onamutayi, Amon Sheefeni Shipanga and his close ally, Simon Kaupa Mwatotele, the headman of Efidi lomulunga near Ongwediva.
It emerged during meetings at Onamutayi and Ohangwena that Shipanga wants revenge after the legitimate heir of the village exposed him for alleged abuse of power and cheating, involving close to N$70ǟ