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Home / OTA tells Kapuuo to focus on Ovitoto

OTA tells Kapuuo to focus on Ovitoto

2021-12-16  Kuzeeko Tjitemisa

OTA tells Kapuuo to focus on Ovitoto

Newly appointed acting Ovaherero Traditional Authority (OTA) secretary general Nandiuasora Mazeingo has hit back on chief Vipuira Kapuuo calling on him to refrain from acting on behalf of the OTA and concentrate on Ovitoto, where he reigns. 

Traditionally, Kapuuo is the OTA chief, designated to Ovitoto, a settlement in the Omatako constituency in the Otjozondjupa region.  

“The weekend meeting resolved that office of the acting paramount chief to direct chief Kapuuo to cease and desist from acting in any way on behalf of the OTA other than on matters pertaining to Ovitoto, for which he is the chief,” said Mazeingo while addressing the media at Ovaherero commando number two yesterday. 

Kapuuo became the acting paramount chief as per tradition by virtue of him having been the chiefs council chairperson at the time of the paramount chief Vekuii Rukoro’s passing earlier this year.

The OTA appears to be in turmoil, as two factions emerged, fighting to replace him.

One faction is led by academic Mutjinde Katjiua, who last weekend was elected to succeed Rukoro following the senate meeting, the traditional authority’s highest decision-making body. 

Mazeingo is a supporter of Katjiua taking over the reigns.

The other faction is led by Kapuuo, who Mutjinde and his cohort claim to have removed from the position last weekend. 

Kapuuo was replaced by his deputy, chief Boas Tjingaete. 

At the centre of the dispute is who is the right person or entity to identify and appoint the next paramount chief.

Traditionally, this task is left with the chiefs council. However, this time around, a new transition committee, consisting of five members, chaired by Katjiua, was formed. 

This development did not go down well with Kapuuo, who said he was being stripped of his powers.

Despite the weekend meeting having been rejected by some quarters of the country, Mazeingo yesterday said all chiefs council members were informed but they opted not to partake for reasons only known to them. 

He said the new administration is ready to work with their Nama compatriots to collectively reject the “infamous joint declaration” between Germany and the Namibian government.

“We are ready to redouble our efforts for restorative justice,” said Mazeingo, who Rukoro appointed as the chairperson of the Ovaherero Genocide Foundation earlier this year.

Swapo parliamentarian and defence minister Frans Kapofi recently assured the genocide-affected communities of the government’s commitment to bring the genocide issue to finality to the satisfaction of everyone.

Kapofi gave this assurance in parliament recently while replying to questions raised by fellow members of parliament over the purported agreement signed by the German and Namibian governments earlier this year. 

Germany massacred an estimated 80 000 Ovaherero and Nama at the turn of the 20th century. 

The two governments allegedly agreed that Germany would apologise for the genocide and extend financial assistance of N$18 billion in project funding over 30 years to the descendants of affected communities.

However, the majority of the affected communities feel Germany must do more to atone for its sins. 

- ktjitemisa@nepc.com.na


2021-12-16  Kuzeeko Tjitemisa

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