BUKALO - Chief Kisco Liswani III who this year marks 23 years as the reigning Munitenge of the Masubia tribe who proudly call themselves Veekuhane in the Zambezi Region, on Saturday underscored the fact his subjects are at peace with themselves and other tribes in the region.

Speaking at the Vwikuhane Vwetu attended by thousands among them chiefs Boniface Shufu of the Mayeyi and Joseph Tembwe of the Mashi Traditional Authority and graced by Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, Cabinet ministers and CEOs among others, Liswani III said the event marks the past and present and the Masubia take pride in the fact Namibia is independent for 29 years.

The Minister of Urban and Rural Development Peya Mushelenga, the Ngambela of the Masubia tribe Albius Kamwi Milinga, the Natamoyo Maurice Muyatwa, Senior Induna Gilbert Jamu Liswaniso, area indunas and village indunas were also present at the culture event supplanted by a feast.

He stated his tribe is at peace with itself and its neighbours and most importantly the tribe significantly contributed to the attainment of the country’s independence through the heroics of its gallant and brave sons, namely Brendan Kangongolo Simbwaye, Greenwell Matongo and Richard Kapelwa Kabajani, among numerous other heroes who participated in the liberation struggle.

“At the same time, we use this annual cultural festival to celebrate the present, that is the achievements that we have made as a nation and as a community since independence. In a way, the festival provides us with yet another opportunity to appreciate government efforts being undertaken in our areas of jurisdiction and also to communicate our needs,” he expounded.

“It is this past and present, combined, that forms the foundation for peace and prosperity, progress and nation building,” further stated the chief in his once-off annual address to his subjects.

“I will not belabor to catalog all government projects undertaken in our area of jurisdiction and the whole region since the last Vwikuhane Vwetu in the interest of time,” he said, and expressed his sincere gratitude to government for the construction of the Luhonono-Namalubi road and the recently completed constituency office at Nakabolelwa.

He described the current nation-wide drought as the “most severe on record” and that “despite our people making every effort to plough their fields, the yield is unfortunately at a 100 percent loss. The situation is such that even those who previously qualified for assistance are left out, understandably maybe because of the severity of the situation and the high number of those in need.”

However, Chief Liswani III appealed to government through the prime minister “to consider increasing the drought budget to enable more coverage of those affected.”

In his wide-ranging address, the Munitenge also entreated central government to connect the secluded Impalila Island to the national electricity grid as such an overture “will benefit a number of schools and lodges in the floodplain areas, thereby boosting tourism and creating jobs,” for the social and economic upliftment of Namibians that are still left out in those areas.

“Lastly, we want to plead with the ministry of health to consider constructing a clinic at Muzii village in the flood-prone eastern part of our region,” said the Munitenge who said the area under his jurisdiction was one of the worst neglected during colonial times because of the rock-solid ties that existed between the Masubia Traditional Authority and Swapo as a liberation movement.