WALVIS BAY – After years of protests, arrests and a petrol bomb, the Daure Daman community’s cries for accountability have finally reached the government’s ears. Urban and Rural Development Minister James Sankwasa has now stepped in – ordering the authority’s chief, Zacharias Seibeb, to respond to serious allegations of financial mismanagement under his watch.
Seibeb must now account for every penny generated and spent since his appointment as chief.
This development follows after Sankwasa met with Seibeb on Wednesday, his faction, and members of the Daure Daman concerned group in Windhoek to mediate the ongoing disunity among them.
The concerned group has been attempting to remove Seibeb since 2017. Their efforts intensified in 2021, resulting in several protests and the collection of over 600 signatures from the community calling for his removal.
They have been camping and protesting for years in front of the traditional office in Uis to remove Seibeb.
In 2024, the group also demanded a halt to all mining activities within their jurisdiction and called for a full investigation into alleged irregularities. They accused Seibeb of sidelining key elders, failing to consult the community and lacking transparency in the management of community funds, as well as allegedly hiring his daughter as secretary.
“The meeting with the minister was fruitful. We were given homework, and we will do just that. Everyone who signed the petition still shares the same sentiments — we do not want the chief,” a representative of the concerned group told New Era.
According to frustrated residents, there have been no consultations regarding the impact of mining on their traditional livelihoods. They further charged that Seibeb’s leadership has led to deeper divisions rather than unity within the Daure Daman community.
Sankwasa confirmed that a report compiled following the community’s complaints shows clear financial mismanagement within the Daure Daman Traditional Authority financial affairs. He said Seibeb must respond to the discrepancies identified in the financial report.
“The chief has the report and must now answer to what he disputes and what he agrees with. These are public funds and money raised in the name of the traditional authority. It must be properly managed,” Sankwasa stressed.
In response, Seibeb confirmed the meeting.
Sankwasa also sent them back to follow their customary law.
“The minister said we must use it as a guiding tool to address the disunity among us,” Seibeb said.
On the alleged financial mismanagement, he revealed that “We noticed that there are some documents that we submitted that might not have reached the ministry. However, we will have to resubmit as the minister requested it,” he added.
Removal
Regarding calls for the removal of Seibeb, Sankwasa said that while he does not have the authority to remove a chief, he can listen to both parties and facilitate mediation.
“I told them to go back and follow their customs and traditions. That was the resolution,” Sankwasa said, adding that the dispute must be resolved before the Annual Council of Traditional Leaders meeting in September.
Since his appointment, he has been on a crusade to uproot corruption at local authorities, regional councils and any department within his purview.
He has reportedly lost faith in the Anti-Corruption Commission’s ability to fight graft.