WINDHOEK – President Hifikepunye Pohamba has warned that too many traditional authorities in the country could create instability and disunity.
Pohamba concedes that he is swimming in a pool of applications for new traditional authorities, and has 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 made this call at the four-day 17th annual meeting of the Council of Traditional Leaders, which started in Windhoek yesterday.
The advice that he seeks should be unifying in nature, he said.
“If you advise to, for example, divide the Ndonga Traditional Authority into five traditional authorities I will definitely say no,” he said.
Pohamba says time and again he has to deal with requests by people attempting to form new traditional authorities, a trend which could affect unity in the country.
“Such practice will lead to instability and therefore must be avoided – I count on you the traditional council,” he stressed.
Furthermore, Pohamba commended the traditional leaders for speaking out against gender-based violence (GBV) and joining hands with government in fighting what he termed a “scourge”.
“I have no doubt that you will greatly assist law enforcement agencies to timely arrest the perpetrators of GBV, so that they can face the full wrath of the law.”
He said combatting GBV would only be possible with the involvement of all citizens and inhabitants of the country.
The President also called on traditional authorities to promote cultural values and ethical conduct amongst communities.
“I have observed that delinquent behaviour and lack of discipline are some of the causes of crime in our country, including GBV,” he said, adding that this was because perpetrators disregard the cultural values and norms that should always guide the conduct and behaviour of people.
The President therefore urged traditional leaders to continue inculcating traditional and cultural norms in communities, especially the youth to reject anti-social behaviour such as alcohol and drug abuse.
“This will greatly contribute towards building safer communities, where our women and girls live in peace, without fear and without becoming a victim of criminals,” he said.
Pohamba used the opportunity to call on traditional leaders to encourage their communities to participate in the registration of communal land rights to secure registered tenure of their family plots.
He also commended traditional authorities who have made land available for the implementation of government-funded development projects as well as the establishment of urban settlements.
“By making land available in these new Bukalo and Otjinene local authorities, traditional authorities have joined hands with government for the provision of essential services such as water, electricity and housing of our people,” said Pohamba.
Pohamba also used the platform to call on the entire nation to ensure that the election campaign and the voting process are conducted in a peaceful manner.
“Recently my party was defeated in the Otjinene local authority by-election but we didn’t fight, we congratulated them and told them that we will prepare ourselves even better next time, and we started to drink a cup of tea together,” he said.
This year’s meeting is held under the theme “Traditional Leaders Against Gender-Based Violence.”