UIS – Retired teacher Issaskar Tourob was elected as the new chief of the Daure Daman at a watershed election in Uis on Tuesday.
He garnered 403 votes from the 410 cast.
Ephraim Gaseb received six votes, while David Areseb received one vote in the elections that were marred by controversy.
The elections took place to replace former chief Zacharias Seibeb after recommendations by urban and rural development minister James Sankwasa that the succession process be redone.
The minister claimed that the chieftaincy – which should be determined through a community electoral process in line with Dâure Daman customary law – was not properly constituted.
Process
As the process started in what would separate pretenders and contenders, elders lined up inside an old building to symbolise returning to their roots as Dâure Daman. They were verified with their identity documents.
After the verification, each one was given a stone to place in the box of their preferred candidate.
“This is how our forefathers voted during colonial times,” Tourob said shortly before casting his vote. He said they had waited a long time to restore dignity and unity within the Dâure Daman.
“My aim is to unite our people and move past the disunity and infighting that has reigned over the past years,” he stated.
Gaseb said, by hosting a free and fair election, the Dâure Daman’s process is worthy of emulation by other Namibians.
Confusion
However, confusion reigned, with many calling the election process a hoax. They claimed that it did not follow customary law.
Cornelia Atjiwara, a member of the concerned group, yesterday told New Era that the election was not supposed to take place, as the customary law had not been followed as required.
“These elections will again be deemed illegal, and we will be instructed to redo them. That’s not what we want. We needed to do everything by the book to avoid giving anyone the opportunity to challenge the process,” she said.
Community activist Jimmy Areseb, who spearheaded the removal of the former chief, also expressed concern over the process. He stated that procedures were not followed.
“We all want to elect a new chief – but at this stage, the candidates were not even introduced to the community. All these things could be used against our elders to nullify this election,” he said.
Withdrawal
A letter seen by New Era states that the elders’ council and the traditional council on 9 July said they had successfully conducted a nomination campaign from 28 June to 7 July, during which the three candidates were identified.
The letter adds that councillors Hendrik Afrikaaner, Jakobus Ganuseb, Matheus //Hoeb, Hanna /Awaras, Issaskar Tourob and Fanna Garoeb facilitated the nomination campaign.
However, Awaras withdrew the letter, stating that it was prematurely forwarded to the minister by one of the elders.
She said they, in a meeting on 1 July 2025, decided to have another meeting in due course to finalise the way forward as stipulated in the Dâure Daman customary law and as per the resolution.
“Hence, I wish to note that I put my signature on the letter dated 9 July 2025 as a result of misinformation about its content, which I had not fully understood,” she said. Awaras clarified that the elders want to finalise the election as soon as possible.
As traditional councillors, she hastened to say, they are working around the clock to ensure a collective resolution that includes all elders and traditional councillors and is in the legal framework of the Dâure Daman customary law.
“Our programmes are also well-coordinated with Atjiwara, the spokesperson of the concerned Dâure Daman community. In that vein, we wish to hold the letter submitted recently until we complete the elders’ register, which will lead to a collective nomination and election of the Gaob,” she said in the letter.