By Petronella Sibeene WINDHOEK Paramount Chief of the Ovambanderu Munjuku Nguvauva II has fired his senior traditional councillor for the Otjombinde constituency, Erastus Kahuure. Apart from Kahuure, ten other tribal councillors have also been axed. The decision to fire Kahuure and others was taken at the weekend. Chief Nguvauva made the announcement after an extraordinary session of the Supreme Council of the Ovambanderu at Omauezonyanda in the Epukiro Constituency. Five of the dismissed councillors are from Aminuis and the other five are from the constituency of Rietfontein. Chief Spokesperson Ngahahe Tjiposa yesterday confirmed that in total eleven tribesmen were “relieved” of their duties given their “repeated failure to perform their traditional responsibilities adequately as per the Ovam-banderu traditional and customary laws”. According to Ngaha-he, since the adoption of the supreme council in October 2005, Kahuure has reportedly boycotted all meetings called. The first meeting of the council took place on October 22, 2005. At that meeting, Kahuure reportedly walked out while the proceedings were still on. This was viewed as disrespectful of Chief Nguvauva who was present at that meeting. Kahuure did not apologise to the chief, said Ngahahe. At a second meeting held on November 20 2005, the senior traditional councillor apparently delegated his subordinate Mburo Moya to represent him. Moya was given a letter by Kahuure to apologise for not being able to attend the meeting. In the letter, he indicated he was unable to attend given other pressing commitments. However, his representative Moya was requested to leave the meeting with Chief Nguvauva saying only senior traditional councillors form part of the supreme council. On December 10, 2005, the Chief’s office received a letter from Kahuure’s advocate Kauta Kamuhanga requesting the paramount chief to call a meeting with Kahuure. Apart from that Tjiposa says, the letter also demanded minutes that were taken at a previous supreme council meeting. In response through his legal representative from Lorentz & Bone, the Chief refused to comply with the request. At the last meeting which was held at the end of February 2006, Kahuure did not turn up, neither did he tender an apology. “On several occasions, the Chief has called for meetings but Kahuure never attends,” indicated the Chief’s spokesperson Tjiposa. The five councillors from Aminuis were fired on the basis that last year, they took a decision to sack the senior traditional councillor Ludwig Karumendu without consulting Chief Nguvauva. “They only wrote a letter to the chief after they chased him and this prompted the Chief to ‘relieve’ them of their duties,” Tjiposa added. The Rietfontein councillors have been axed on the basis they are believed to be Kahuure’s supporters. It is not known when the axed eleven would be replaced. Tjiposa indicated that the Chief would decide. However, the workings of the Ovambanderu Royal Authority will continue unhindered. This decision taken by the Chief, the spokesperson told New Era, would not in any way bring further divisions within the tribe. “The eleven are just relieved of their duties but remain Mbanderus. They can still partake in the activities of the Ovambanderu just like ordinary members do,” he noted. It is stated in the Traditional Authority Act 2000 that the Chief can take such a decision, said Tjiposa. This is further supported by the Ovambanderu constitution and is in line with the customary law of the tribe, Tjiposa stated. Kahuure declined to comment stating that he would only do so after receiving the official letter of dismissal. The supreme council consists of senior traditional leaders, general field marshals of the green flag and prophet of Ovamban-deru (Ozondangere).