WINDHOEK – The Minister of Regional and Local Government, Housing and Rural Development Charles Namoloh says the surge in applications for traditional authorities is partly motivated by money that government pays to recognised traditional leaders.
Speaking at the four-day 17th annual meeting of the Council of Traditional Leaders yesterday at the Safari Hotel, the minister said everyone wants to be a chief because it means getting an allowance.
Traditional chiefs in Namibia receive an allowance of N$23 040 per year, about N$1 920 per month, while the chairperson of the Council of Traditional Leaders receives N$28 800.
“Soon every household will have a chief because of the money,” he said.
He added that when a decision was made to give the country’s war veterans money as a token of appreciation for the role they played in the liberation struggle, many people started calling themselves war veterans.
Speaking at the same event this week, President Hifikepunye Pohamba warned that too many traditional authorities in the country could create instability and disunity.
Pohamba conceded that he was swimming in a pool of applications for new traditional authorities, and asked current traditional leaders to help him arrest the situation.
There has been a surge in an unsustainable number of traditional authorities in the country in recent years and it remains a great concern to government.
Pohamba said this growing tendency would only lead to fragmentation, division and disunity within communities and the country at large, adding that it must therefore be avoided.
“I am currently sitting with a pile of applications of leaders wanting to be recognised as traditional leaders,” added the President.
“I count on the Council of Traditional Leaders to provide me with comprehensive advice in this regard,” Pohamba said on Monday. The event ended yesterday.
Today the traditional leaders are set to be treated at Club Thriller in Katutura as well as visit Heroes’ Acre.