WINDHOEK – The Ovambanderu community in the Eiseb Block in Omaheke Region are set to challenge the recognition of Chief Turimuro Hoveka of the Hoveka Royal House as a traditional authority in that jurisdiction, New Era has learned.
Government last week confirmed to New Era the recognition of Chief Hoveka and the Hoveka Royal House as a traditional authority in the jurisdiction of Eiseb Block.
The decision to challenge the recognition of Chief Hoveka, New Era understands, emanates from the weekend meeting held at Omauejozonjanda [Epukiro Pos3] in the Epukiro Constituency at the Omimbondevitano palace, the Ovambanderu chieftaincy’s headquarters.
“The Hoveka Royal House is not a community, it is not a traditional community, it is a clan of the Ovambanderu community. It is a household, so this is definitely making a clan member of the Ovambanderu community a chief and making that clan a community, giving it powers of a community and giving its chief the powers of a traditional community chief as pronounced in the act,” said senior member of the community who was part of the weekend meeting, on condition of anonymity yesterday.
He said a press statement will be issued today about the community’s plans on the matter.
According to the member, Chief Hoveka’s recognition violates the Traditional Authorities Act.
“The Traditional Authorities Act is not there to regulate clans, it is there to regulate traditional communities,” he added.
“[Our position as Ovambanderu] is that the Hage [Geingob] administration and the Swapo Party administration under Secretary-General Sophia Shaningwa is out to destroy the Ovambanderu community,” he said.
“They are recognising clans, as we understand there are plans to also recognise Aletta [Nguvauva] as a chief, probably in Otjombinde,” he said, adding that both Eiseb and Otjombinde is where the Ovambanderu are recognised.
“We got gazetted councillors who are operating in the said areas, the majority of the people if not all living in Eiseb are people who fall under the Ovambanderu Traditional Authority under the leadership of Chief Kilus Munjuku III Nguvauva,” he said.
He said what has happen in this recognition of the Hoveka Royal House is to put the community of Eiseb Block against one another because, now you will have two authorities that will be regulating grazing, fencing disputes and obviously that’s ground for conflicts.
When contacted for comment yesterday, Hoveka Royal House spokesperson Mohammed Kamburona said he cannot comment on anything now but he will be willing to comment on it at a later stage.
The recognition of Hoveka Royal House brings to total 52 recognised traditional authorities in the country.
Government currently pays a N$2 100 monthly allowance to each of the recognised chiefs, and each of the chiefs’ six senior traditional councillors are paid an allowance of N$1 800 each month.
It also pays a monthly allowance of N$1 600 to 306 junior traditional councillors, N$1 300 for each traditional authority secretary, N$1 000 monthly allowance for each traditional authority driver and a quarterly petrol allowance of N$3 000 to each recognised traditional authority.
Government spends N$20.6 million a year on traditional authorities. Besides allowances paid, each chief receives a brand-new 4×4 Toyota Hilux double cab to help him carry out his traditional responsibilities in administering the affairs of their respective communities.
The Hoveka Royal House is credited for its leading efforts to free Ovaherero and Ovambanderu people from concentration camps and helping them to settle in Epukiro between 1923 and 1924.
Eiseb Block in Omaheke Region is situated some 330 kilometers north-east of Gobabis and was established in 1992 as a reception centre for returning Ovambanderu and Ovaherero who had been living in Botswana. The area currently falls under Otjombinde Constituency.