Windhoek
Senior councillors in the Kambazembi Royal House (KRH) will boycott the meeting called by Chief Sam Kambazembi to discuss ongoing disputes that have rock the royal house in recent weeks.
The KRH has jurisdiction over the traditional matters and communal land of the Ovaherero in Otjozondjupa Region. Speaking to New Era yesterday senior KRH Councillor Ueriuka Tjikuua said all 12 traditional councillors have decided to boycott the meeting planned for Saturday in Okakarara.
This was also confirmed by KRH chairperson Vetondouua Maharero, Otjituuo traditional councilor Alex Tjihokuru and Okondjatu tradittional councillor Verikatumba Kuhanga.
The councillors are accusing Chief Kambazembi, among others, of affiliating himself to the Ovaherero Traditional Authority (OTA) led by Paramount Chief Advocate Vekuii Rukoro. They also accuse Chief Kambazembi of the misuse of traditional authority funds and consuming alcohol in public.
In 2013 government donated N$3,5 million towards the construction of an office complex for the KRH in Okakarara. Recently Chief Kambazembi was seen adressing an OTA event. Both the OTA and KRH traditional authorities have been boycotting each other’s events for over a decade, up until the appointment of Chief Kambazembi in 2014.
When contacted for comment, Kambazembi yesterday vowed to go ahead with the meeting with or without the senior traditional councillors. He promised to remove those councillors not adhering to his directives.
“Remember that I am the appointing authority and I can remove or appoint anybody I wish to,” he said, warning those accusing him of consuming alcohol to be careful as they might end up in court. On affiliating himself to the OTA, Kambazembi said as a Namibian citizen he has every right to affiliate himself to any organisation he wishes to.
Last week, Nampa reported that senior councillors in the KRH wrote a letter, to both Otjozondjupa regional Governor Otto Iipinge and Minister of Urban and Rural Development Sophia Shaningwa demanding the immediate removal of Kambazembi.
Chief Kambazembi is son of late Chief David Tuvahi Kambazembi, who died in 2006. Kambazembi was appointed late in 2014 as the new chief of the KRH, replacing his brother Uaakutjo Kambazembi, who died earlier that year in Ongwediva Medipark Hospital.