Aandonga mourn Kauluma
Former Ondonga Traditional Authority chairperson and senior Ongula yaNetanga headman, Peter Shimweefeleni Kauluma, died yesterday at the age of 82.
Kauluma was described as the mastermind behind the traditional authority council and for years represented its chairperson, Ondonga king Immanuel Kauluma Elifas, with distinction.
He died yesterday morning in a Windhoek hospital.
According to former traditional authority secretary Josef Asino and senior headman Naeman Amalwa, Kauluma was King Elifas' main assistant.
“When we were in the traditional authority (together), Kauluma was the main person. He has been assisting the king in all the affairs of the traditional authority. He has been advising him and also interpreting for him, especially when he was going out of his jurisdiction or to other countries,” Asino said.
Elifas appointed Kauluma as senior headman in 1982. According to Amalwa, soon after his appointment the South African colonial administration bombed the traditional authority offices and it was during that time that Kauluma took on a leadership role.
“After that bombing it was decided that it was not safe for the king to be attending to all the matters of the traditional authority and he appointed Kauluma as his assistant and delegated all the activities to him. It is because of him that the Ondonga Traditional Authority is at the level where it is today, and other traditional authorities have been copying from us,” Amalwa said.
As a teenager, Kauluma and his late brother Bishop James Kauluma grew up in the royal house of the then Ondonga king, Shihepo shaNamene.
He attended school at Odibo, before he left to work in Cape Town, South Africa.
Veteran journalist Chris Jacobie, who was a close friend of Kauluma, said: “He was one of the best strategic tacticians I have ever seen in my journalism career. He was extremely intelligent and communicated very well without any barriers. His passing is a great loss to Namibia, the Aandonga, his party and his community.”
ILENI NANDJATO
Kauluma was described as the mastermind behind the traditional authority council and for years represented its chairperson, Ondonga king Immanuel Kauluma Elifas, with distinction.
He died yesterday morning in a Windhoek hospital.
According to former traditional authority secretary Josef Asino and senior headman Naeman Amalwa, Kauluma was King Elifas' main assistant.
“When we were in the traditional authority (together), Kauluma was the main person. He has been assisting the king in all the affairs of the traditional authority. He has been advising him and also interpreting for him, especially when he was going out of his jurisdiction or to other countries,” Asino said.
Elifas appointed Kauluma as senior headman in 1982. According to Amalwa, soon after his appointment the South African colonial administration bombed the traditional authority offices and it was during that time that Kauluma took on a leadership role.
“After that bombing it was decided that it was not safe for the king to be attending to all the matters of the traditional authority and he appointed Kauluma as his assistant and delegated all the activities to him. It is because of him that the Ondonga Traditional Authority is at the level where it is today, and other traditional authorities have been copying from us,” Amalwa said.
As a teenager, Kauluma and his late brother Bishop James Kauluma grew up in the royal house of the then Ondonga king, Shihepo shaNamene.
He attended school at Odibo, before he left to work in Cape Town, South Africa.
Veteran journalist Chris Jacobie, who was a close friend of Kauluma, said: “He was one of the best strategic tacticians I have ever seen in my journalism career. He was extremely intelligent and communicated very well without any barriers. His passing is a great loss to Namibia, the Aandonga, his party and his community.”
ILENI NANDJATO
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