The Ovaherero Paramount Chief Advocate Vekuii Rukoro’s tombstone unveiling has been set to coincide with the annual Red Flag commemoration in Okahandja during the weekend of 15 to17 July.
This has been confirmed by family spokesperson Phillip Kavetuna.
Rukoro, who died in June last year at the age of 66, was buried at the Ovaherero burial site at Okahandja on 18 July.
Announcing the tombstone unveiling date last week, Kavetuna said, as tradition dictates, matters of death are dealt with by the family – and in light of the ongoing infighting within the Ovaherero Traditional Authority (OTA), the family deemed it necessary to avoid any bickering to spearhead the unveiling of the tombstone.
“Matters pertaining to death and the burial of a loved one are ordinarily first and foremost the prerogative of the paternal and maternal families – of course with and in consultation as may be necessary and befitting, other stakeholders, including in the case of our late beloved son and Paramount Chief of the Ovaherero, Advocate Rukoro, the OTA,” Kavetuna said in a statement.
He said the decision for the unveiling of Rukoro’s tombstone was taken collectively by the paternal and maternal families during a meeting held at late Rukoro homestead of Omutukururu, in the Okakarara constituency, Otjozondjupa region.
“The unveiling of the tombstone during the weekend of 15 July is just befitting to also allow for the customary observance of this day in Okahandja, which has become synonymous of our late son, Rukoro,” he stressed.
According to him, mourners will assemble at Rukoro’s homestead of Omutukururu on Friday, 15 July, and overnight there before travelling to Okahandja for the weekend’s tombstone unveiling and Red Flag commemoration.
“As paternal and maternal family of the Rukoro, we are emboldened in taking responsibility for the organisation and spearheading of his tombstone unveiling by the ancient Ovaherero wisdom, Eyanda Karikondua, meaning there’s no way you sever the maternal umbilical cord and resultant kinship of any people,” Kavetuna said.
Meanwhile, since Rukuro’s passing, Ovaherero leaders have been at each other’s throats over who should facilitate the transitional process.
This led to the emergence of two factions, one supporting Chief Vipuira Kapuuo, who, at the time of Rukoro’s death, was the chairperson of the chiefs’ council, traditionally tasked to facilitate the transitional process.
The other faction, of academic Mutjinde Katjiua, feels Kapuuo was not fit to facilitate such a process.
Katjiua was elected by his faction of the OTA as Paramount Chief.
In April this year, Katjiua lost an urgent application in the High Court in which he wanted the chairperson of OTA, Kapuuo, not to act as though he represents the traditional authority.
High Court judge Herman Oosthuizen ruled that Katjiua will, in his personal capacity, pay the costs of the first respondent (Kapuuo), which shall include the costs of one instructing and two instructed counsel.