Thread: What is Ovaherero Traditional Authority (OTA)?

No, it's the Clown Prince of Parliament on a matinee

Sounds like a society's name??? If you could deduce from the moniker. Distinct society for all purpose-and-intent could take -up such a noun. Knowing that Ovaherero is a tribal entity in the land, your guess seems about as accurate. Tribes in many part of the vast continent have not ceased to exist. Namibia in particular has, so far, encouraged the survival of the historic, cultural diversity rather than to do away with it. So,while still in existence, it is by no means anathemic for nouns of kind (Damara, Kwanyama, etc.) to appear in the news media here.

come namibia. nobody knows what this OTA is?

Riruako’s Inauguration a Mere Formality - by Kae Matundu-Tjiparuro


AMINUIS – Thousands of people, including high-ranking government officials, members of the diplomatic corps, members of Parliament, business and financial leaders, traditional, community and church leaders, converged on the village of Aminuis in the Aminuis constituency in the Omaheke Region to witness the official designation of Chief Kuaima Riruako as Chief of the Ovaherero Traditional Authority (OTA).

By midday on Friday the usually sleepy village was a hive of activity, as people had started to descend on the village from various corners of the country to witness what was heralded by some as a historic event although the traditional authority under the Paramount Chief of the Ovaherero, Riruako, has been in existence from as far back as 1978 when he succeeded Chief Clemence Kapuuo. Perhaps its novelty and historical significance lies in the authority eventually becoming legal after a de facto existence of about 18 years since independence.

Riruako has been duly recognised by the Government via a letter from the Minister of Regional and Local Government, Housing and Rural Development, Jerry Ekandjo dated December 8, 2008 after which the news of recognition spread like wild fire in both Windhoek and the outlying areas all over the country, especially inhabited by Ovaherero.

“I am pleased to inform you that your application for designation as Chief of Ovaherero Traditional Authority has been approved by His Excellency, Hifikepunye Pohamba, the President of the Republic of Namibia,” the letter addressed to Fanuel Tjombe, Chairperson of the OTA, read.

The minister also reminded Riruako of the need for an official designation in terms of the Traditional Authorities Act, Act 25 of 2000. In terms of Section 5 (7) of the Act a traditional community or authority must upon the approval of its application for recognition set a date, time and place of the “official designation” of their traditional leader designate and accordingly inform the Minister of Regional and Local Government that she/he her representative attend and witness such designation. The minister is to attend such designation to “satisfy himself or herself that such designation is accordance with the customary law”.

Hence the ceremony in Aminuis over the weekend, which was attended by the Governor of the Omaheke Region, Laura McCleod-Katjirua, as representative of the Minister of Regional and Local Government.

However, the uncertainty shrouded the nature of the ceremony with confusion reigning whether it was an “official designation” or “inauguration”. This confusion was also apparent among those leading the programme on the day with constant referral switch to and from “official designation” and “inauguration”. Even in the official programme mention was made of “official inauguration”.

However, those presiding over the actual designation-cum-inauguration would not succumb to the confusion reigning. As far as they were concerned, Riruako has already been inaugurated as Paramount Chief of the Ovaherero. Thus one of the traditional diviners, Tjipene Keja, also one of the 12 leading councillors under Riruako, only took note of the official recognition of Riruako by the Government by only shaking his hand, cautious to perform any other ceremony in view of the fact that Riruako has already undergone such a traditional ceremony in the village of Toasis, seat of erstwhile Ovaherero Paramount Chief, Hosea Kutako. This also took place in the Aminuis constituency shortly after the designation of Riruako as Paramount Chief of the Ovaherero in 1978.

The ceremony stopping short of a re-run of Riruako’s coronation, was characterised by traditional praise-singing of Riruako by traditional praise-singers. The ceremony was also interspersed with choirs, among them an all-male choir conducted by Karukee Kauari with composed songs in the honour of Riruako and Tjombe.

“Kwaza meya nambano Kuaima Riruako (It has been said that he (Kuaima Riruako) would be coming soon,” goes a line in one of the songs. “Ove Mbara Tjombe teza ozondambo zOmbara Otjitambi ove muwauwa,” goes a line in another song, imploring Tjombe to follow in the footsteps of Riruako. The Aminuis-based Mokaleng Roman Catholic Community School added a touch of cultural diversity to the event with a magnificent display of Tswana traditional dances.

Tjombe has been designated the caretaker Chief of the Ovaherero Traditional Authority when Riruako takes leave of absence as chief of the authority upon his gazetting to continue with his political activities.

However, speaking on the Namibia Broadcasting Corporation (NBC)’s Otjiherero Language Service current affairs morning programme on Monday, Tjombe was at pains to emphasise that he would only be acting and that Riruako would still be the incumbent and may attend to the needs of his people if the need arises and time allows. Tjombe and Gottlieb Kahikopo from Otjimbingwe are to represent the OTA in the Council of Traditional Leaders.

Ovambanderu Paramount Chief Keharanjo II Nguvauva, who donated N$10 000 towards the Chief Riruako Disaster Relief Fund, seemed to have stolen the show, receiving roaring applause from the crowd upon the acknowledgement of his presence. The recognised authorities of the Ovaherero as well as the Ovambanderu Traditional Authority under caretaker chief, Peter Nguvauva, were conspicuous by their absence despite having been invited, as were many other traditional authorities. Among the chiefs present were Sylvanus Hoveka of the Otjimana/Hoveka Traditional Authority, Hubert Ditshabue of the Bakgalagadi Traditional Authority, a representative of the Batswana Ba Namibia Traditional Authority of Chief Constants Kgosimang. From Botswana Chief Tjihonge attended, while the Ovaherero in South Africa were represented by the Chairperson of the Ovaherero Descendants Foundation, Kamutuua Kandorozu.

On the fringes of the ceremony people were treated to traditional dances both male and female as well as Oviritje genre bands like Ongoronomundu, Onyoka and Wire while the Ngaruka Brass Band also made its presence felt at the event.

The joyous weekend, however, ended tragically when eight people were killed in a collision between two cars between Gobabis and Windhoek on Sunday. One of the cars was that of the Secretary of the Ovaherero Traditional Authority, Tjipueja Mutirua, who was also killed in the accident. Since the recognition of the OTA last December, Mutirua, also the Archbishop of the St John Holiness Church, had been up and running to get the documents of the various councillors of the authority ready for the official designation and eventual gazetting.


New Era

Originally Posted by Rafiki

is this like a government for a tribe?

Sound like some sort of power-show business and self-enrichment-scheme on the cost of fools or a clense of the colon on others that are ignorant.

Can not understand this authorities that only mislead the people. Strange that no one see, only one person or family make progress financially, on the cost others that are still suffering for many years now.

"I want to make this clear that the N$160 million
reconciliation fund has nothing to do with our demand
for reparation," Chief Riruako told the media.

In 2001, Chief Riruako and around 200 supporters filed
a lawsuit in the United States for U$4 billion in
damages from the German government and three German
companies.

German Chancellor Helmut Kohl probably expected a pleasant and uneventful visit to Namibia in September of 1995. Formerly the German colony of South West Africa, the new nation of Namibia is visibly proud of its German heritage, evident everywhere in its capital at Windhoek, in stoutly built brick and stone colonial buildings. Germany, in turn, is Namibia's largest provider of foreign aid and equally proud of its role in Namibian development. However, while Kohl was visiting a German community in Namibia, around three-hundred "members of the Herero tribe led by Paramount Chief Kuaima Riruako marched on the German embassy in Windhoek and handed in a petition for Kohl."



As it turns out, the Herero wanted to meet Kohl during his visit to Namibia. However, Kohl refused and instead visited the coastal town of Swakopmund. The petition was a demand for reparations resulting from the near extermination of the Herero by the Germans during the Herero War of 1904-07. The war, although not well known in a world of far more deadly wars, was among the twentieth century's bloodiest colonial wars, killing at least sixty thousand of the eighty-thousand Herero and resulting in the German seizure of all Herero lands and cattle. As a result, Central Namibia was swept clean of black occupation, setting the stage for the creation of the European agricultural economy that prevails today.


Herero Paramount Chief Kuaimi Riruako demanded reparations of $600 million (US). After delivering the petition, Riruako stated, "We think we have a legitimate claim for reparations as a result of the war and genocide committed against the Hereros by the German army." The Herero Traditional Authority, he continued, was prepared to take its case to the United Nations if Bonn rejected the claim. And, in a surprising move, Chief Riruako, through the Chief Hosea Kutako Foundation, recently filed a lawsuit against three German companies in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, asking for $2 billion (U.S.) in reparations, asserting the companies were in a "brutal alliance" with imperial Germany in the Herero War.


The Namibian government has opposed the Herero claim for reparations. Heavily dependant on German aid, and dominated by the rival Ovambo tribe, the South West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO), the ruling party, has taken the position that all Namibian tribes were victimized by colonial exploitation, and therefore, no group in particular should be singled out to receive reparation payments. But the Herero, now numbering about 125,000, and the leading opposition tribe, have persisted in pursuing their claim. It has served to define Herero identity within Namibia, setting the Herero people apart.