WINDHOEK – Advocate Vekuii Rukoro, the Ovaherero Paramount Chief-designate, will be coronated on May 2 to formally succeed the late Chief Kuaima Riruako who died last year.
Riruako died in Windhoek on June 2 following a short illness.
Chairperson of the Organising Committee, Festus Muundjua, confirmed yesterday the planned coronation, which is expected to draw a massive crowd to the two-day event starting from May 1.
Muundjua was hesitant to divulge the identities of some of the notable invited guests, saying an announcement in that regard would be made soon.
“I cannot tell you who is invited or who’s not, we are still going to sit today and decide who to invite,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Ovaherero Traditional Authority is yet to receive a notice of official recognition of Rukoro as chief from the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development.
Bernhard Kandjii said this will not deter the planned coronation.
“The issue of recognition is with government and since there are new leaders in government we are giving them time to settle,” said Kandjii.
Last year the Ministry of Regional and Local Government, Housing and Rural Development rejected the application by Rukoro for recognition as paramount chief of the Ovaherero Traditional Authority.
During a media briefing last year the then line minister, Charles Namoloh, told the media that government would not approve the application because it sought to expand the new leader’s area of jurisdiction.
Namoloh at the time said if Rukoro indeed succeeded the late Riruako, he would be recognised as chief in the area of jurisdiction that fell under Riruako.
“No other areas should be added, nor will there be an expansion of the jurisdiction area,” he added.
“The recognition will only apply to the late Riruako’s area of jurisdiction,” the minister stressed at the time.
Namoloh said Rukoro would be recognised as chief of the Ovaherero Traditional Authority if he reapplied, while sticking only to his area of jurisdiction of Aminuis.