Chairperson of the Council of Traditional Leaders in Namibia, gaob Immanuel /Gaseb, has called on Namibians, especially members of royal families, to respect customary laws.
He urged them to resolve succession disputes according to these laws and traditions, rather than through the courts of common law.
He was speaking at the opening ceremony of the 25th Annual Meeting of the Council of Traditional Leaders in Windhoek on Monday.
“Such disputes can leave traditional authorities without leadership, and disrupt their administration,” he said.
The chairperson said the council acknowledged the ongoing legal challenges surrounding chieftainship succession, noting that the issues are crucial. He said the council trusts the government will continue to develop effective strategies to address these challenges.
He further called on traditional leaders to desist from opposing land allocations for agricultural projects, aimed at tackling food insecurity, poverty and unemployment, and to rather continue encouraging communities to engage in food security initiatives and enhance agriculture practices.
/Gaseb further called upon traditional leaders to ensure drought relief food is distributed responsibly, and used for household consumption, instead of being traded for alcohol.
He equally called upon the Office of the Prime Minister to review the food distribution process to ensure equal allocation, especially for households with a high number of dependents.
He further noted that challenges faced by traditional authorities include water and sanitation as well as lack of infrastructures, such as boreholes and water pipelines.
Another major challenge is human-wildlife conflict, particularly in the Kavango regions, where crocodiles and hippo attacks have resulted in the loss of many lives.
“Wildlife continues to destroy our crops, and causes serious challenges for our communities. It is imperative that the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism develops and implements an emergency response unit to address this crisis,” he said.
The five-day annual meeting ends on Friday.
-Nampa