MAYARA – Urban and Rural Development Minister James Sankwasa has granted approval of the application made by the Ukwangali Traditional authority (TA) to designate Eugene Siwombe Kudumo as their chief as per the TA Act of 2000.

The TA is in the meantime to set up a date, time and place for the minister or his representative to come down to Ukwangali for the official designation of the chief.

The Windhoek High Court set aside Eugene Siwombe’s designation as chief of the Ukwangali Traditional Authority in 2019.

A faction of the Vakwangali Tribal Authority has been contesting Siwombe’s chieftainship. Kavango West governor, Verna Sinimbo, on behalf of the minister, delivered the letter of approval to the Ukwangali palace at Mayara village yesterday. The minister last week consulted the disputing applicants, the royal family members and the Traditional Council (Masimbi) on 6th and 7th August 2025 at Nkurenkuru. In his letter read on his behalf by Sinimbo, Sankwasa said that, through the consultative meeting, he had established that the customary law procedures of nominating and designating a chief have been followed and adhered to by both parties. 

“I am pleased to inform you that as per the provision of Section 5 (2) of the Traditional Authorities Act, 2000 (Act No. 25 of 2000), approval has been granted to the application of Mr. Eugene Siwombe Kudumo to be designated as the Chief of the Ukwangali Traditional Authority to succeed late Chief DanielSitentu Mpasi following an extensive deliberation as directed by the Supreme Court on 19 February 2019 and 06 March 2019 that the designation should follow laid down customary procedure of nomination and designation of an individual as a chief,’’ the letter read.

“Furthermore, in terms of Section 5 (7) of the Traditional Authorities Act, 2000, your traditional authority is required to do the official designation or coronation of the chief on the date, time, and place to be determined by your traditional community. You are also required to give, in writing, prior notification to the minister of the date, time and place of the designation to enable him or his representative to attend and witness the official coronation or inauguration of the chief,’’ Sankwasa said.

In his letter, he applauded Hompa Kudumo and the entire leadership of the Ukwangali Traditional Authority and community for acting in unity and for the peaceful transmission of power in terms of their tradition, customary laws and practices.

Last week, Sankwasa told those outside the Ukwangali royal family to distance themselves from the chieftainship matter. 

Saying they must leave it up for the royal family to handle, as they have brought confusion.

“The Vakwangali have been without a chief for years; that’s the basis for why I asked, ‘Are you Kwangali happy that you have been without a chief?’ All of you said you are not happy. Why continue with something that doesn’t make you happy?’’ he asked those in attendance at his meeting held in Nkurenkuru.

“How do you continue doing the same thing that doesn’t give you results? You told me that the land of the Kwangali is being taken left and right; that’s because there’s no hompa. After all, the hompa has the authority and is the custodian of the land. Now, in the absence of the hompa, the land is going, and you sit there disputing,” Sankwasa added.

The minister said if the chieftainship fights are being fuelled because of the perks that come with being a gazetted chief, then his ministry will withdraw the perks of the chiefs.

Sankwasa said many young people have joined the chieftainship brawl without knowing the culture. 

“I must register openly my disappointment about Andreas Kamukwanyama. Kamukwanyama is an elderly person, but he is not honest while dealing with this issue, basically because he either has that psychology of revenge because he was removed as a masimbi (an elder of the chiefs council), and in life, whether the situation favours you or not, you leave the facts as they are,” he said.

“My mother taught me that whether the situation favours you or not, be honest and leave the facts as they are,” said Sankwasa, who has seemingly thrown the traditional wait-and-see approach deployed by others in ministerial portfolios out of the window. 

New Era made efforts to get a comment from elder Kamukwanyama who said he is still busy consulting others to make an informed response to Sankwasa’s tirade.

Governor Sinimbo, on her part, assured the TA that her office will indeed work hand in hand and registered her well wishes to Kudumo.

Frans Hauwanga, a Ukwangali Chiefs Council member, said the TA was grateful that the brawl had finally come to an end. “It has taken time, but it has finally concluded. I thank all the parties involved for their honesty when the minister consulted us and we found a solution,” Hauwanga said.