Hileni Mwandingi

GOBABIS - The Ombara Otjitambi yOvaherero community, Vekuii Rukoro, last week Friday paid a courtesy visit to Omaheke governor Pijoo Nganate.  
Since taking over the reigns from his predecessor a few months ago, Nganate has made it a point to engage different stakeholders, by inviting them to partner with government in developing the region. 

Nganate said he saw the need to engage traditional leaders to talk issues of mutual concern between the government and traditional authorities, which thus prompted his office to extend an invitation to the chief.
Briefing the media, Nganate said issues discussed included land distribution, unity amongst traditional leaders, heritage sites, national events and the unfolding Covid-19 pandemic. 

“Upon taking over the office, I realised that I need to engage traditional leaders, to talk issues of mutual concern, such as issues of communal land distribution, and most prominently the issue of unity amongst traditional leaders, the issue of coordination and cooperation amongst traditional leaders all across Omaheke,” he said. 
“There are problems the region is facing in terms of areas of jurisdiction, land allocation and things that are causing tension amongst the leaders and amongst the residents.” 

He further added that he urged the traditional leaders to be cautious when allocating the land, as it not only belongs to this generation but to the coming generations too and it should thus be preserved. 
He further indicated that he requested for permission from traditional leaders to set up a forum of traditional leaders, where they would be coming together to raise issues of mutual concern in the region such as the commemoration of national events.
On his part, Rukoro expressed his gratitude to the governor for striving not only to bring unity but inviting traditional leaders to become partners in the development of the region.

“He is the second governor to extend such an invitation to myself and my authority as Ovaherero Traditional Authority and we are extremely grateful because it is the first time since independence that we have been invited by a regional governor,” he said.
Rukoro said they made use of this opportunity to discuss a number of issues including the re-opening of schools, regional development and addressing the issue of unemployment in the region by proposing de-bushing as a way of putting people back to work. In addition, he said they suggested ways on how to add value to beef production since the region is known for its cattle farming. They proposed for a construction of a medium abattoir in Otjinene area, which he said could ultimately lead to Omaheke becoming an economic centre of excellence.