Chief axed again
Chief axed again

Chief axed again

The Hambukushu people have voted in favour of asking their chief, Erwin Munika Mbambo, to step down.
Kenya Kambowe
A committee established by the Hambukushu tribe has renewed its demand that Chief Erwin Munika Mbambo relinquish power.

In a letter dated 8 November 2018, the chairperson of the pressure group, Cassius Mukenah, lists the reasons why they want Mbambo to step down immediately.

This is the second attempt in a year by the pressure group to relieve Mbambo of his powers.

They wrote the first letter just before Christmas last year, listing a number of allegations and accusing the chief of blocking much-needed development in the tribal area.

Surprisingly the group made a U-turn on 17 January and apologised unconditionally to the chief.

In the latest letter Mukenah writes that a referendum was conducted last week and the Hambukushu tribe overwhelmingly voted in favour of Mbambo's removal.

“Following a referendum which took place on 7 November 2018 in Mbukushu district, the result thereof indicates that a total number of people who voted was 2 931 of which four votes were spoilt ballots, 222 voted in your favour and 2 705 votes were against you. This is a clear indication democratically that the Hambukushu people do not want you to continue as Fumu,” the letter reads.

The letter quotes Section 8, subsection 1, of the Traditional Authorities Act which stipulates that if a traditional community has sufficient reasons that warrant the removal of a chief, they can go ahead as long as they follow the customary law of that community.







“In terms of the customary law of the Hambukushu community, it was decided to conduct a referendum on 7 November 2018 to determine the popular position of the Hambukushu community as to whether or not you should be removed from the position, as it was done in 1947 and repeated twice in 1971 and 1990 respectively,” the letter reads.

Mukenah has confirmed the authenticity of the letter, which was copied to the minister of urban and rural development and the Kavango East governor.

Mukenah said Mbambo had overthrown his predecessor, the late Chief Alfons Majavero, in the same fashion in 1990.

According to Mukenah, the last three chiefs of the Hambukushu tribe had been removed because they had not fulfilled their duties.

Asked whether the close to 3 000 people who participated in last Thursday's referendum were a true reflection of the population of the Hambukushu tribe, and whether all the community members had been informed of the vote, Mukenah initially responded by asking whether all eligible Namibians took part in presidential elections.

He then explained that Mbambo's supporters had urged the community not to take part in the vote.

“The camp of Mbambo went to tell the people that they should not participate in the referendum but we had to go into the communities again and sensitise the people on the importance of the referendum,” Mukenah said.

When asked about their U-turn at the beginning of the year, Mukenah said they had to reverse the December decision because they had made a technical mistake.

Mukenah called on the chief to do the right thing and vacate the position.

“It is our strong belief that you will respect and adhere to the will and aspirations of the Hambukushu people as shown in the referendum of 7 November 2018 and act in the same manner as was done by your late uncle Fumu Disho, referred to in your affidavit of 1990,” Mukenah said.

KENYA KAMBOWE

Comments

Namibian Sun 2024-03-28

No comments have been left on this article

Please login to leave a comment

Katima Mulilo: 19° | 37° Rundu: 17° | 33° Eenhana: 18° | 33° Oshakati: 20° | 31° Ruacana: 19° | 33° Tsumeb: 17° | 29° Otjiwarongo: 16° | 28° Omaruru: 18° | 31° Windhoek: 17° | 28° Gobabis: 17° | 28° Henties Bay: 16° | 19° Wind speed: 24km/h, Wind direction: S, Low tide: 10:54, High tide: 04:57, Low Tide: 22:58, High tide: 17:16 Swakopmund: 15° | 17° Wind speed: 29km/h, Wind direction: SW, Low tide: 10:52, High tide: 04:55, Low Tide: 22:56, High tide: 17:14 Walvis Bay: 16° | 22° Wind speed: 33km/h, Wind direction: SW, Low tide: 10:52, High tide: 04:54, Low Tide: 22:56, High tide: 17:13 Rehoboth: 18° | 29° Mariental: 22° | 32° Keetmanshoop: 21° | 34° Aranos: 21° | 31° Lüderitz: 15° | 29° Ariamsvlei: 23° | 34° Oranjemund: 15° | 21° Luanda: 27° | 30° Gaborone: 20° | 32° Lubumbashi: 17° | 24° Mbabane: 15° | 23° Maseru: 12° | 28° Antananarivo: 16° | 27° Lilongwe: 17° | 29° Maputo: 20° | 28° Windhoek: 17° | 28° Cape Town: 17° | 23° Durban: 21° | 25° Johannesburg: 18° | 28° Dar es Salaam: 26° | 32° Lusaka: 18° | 30° Harare: 15° | 31° Currency: GBP to NAD 23.95 | EUR to NAD 20.51 | CNY to NAD 2.63 | USD to NAD 18.99 | DZD to NAD 0.14 | AOA to NAD 0.02 | BWP to NAD 1.33 | EGP to NAD 0.39 | KES to NAD 0.14 | NGN to NAD 0.01 | ZMW to NAD 0.74 | ZWL to NAD 0.04 | BRL to NAD 3.8 | RUB to NAD 0.2 | INR to NAD 0.23 | USD to DZD 134.27 | USD to AOA 832.63 | USD to BWP 13.71 | USD to EGP 47.35 | USD to KES 130.98 | USD to NGN 1415.13 | USD to ZAR 18.99 | USD to ZMW 24.77 | USD to ZWL 321 | Stock Exchange: JSE All Share Index 73909.5 Up +0.41% | Namibian Stock Exchange (NSX) Overall Index 1516.02 Down -0.13% | Casablanca Stock Exchange (CSE) MASI 12981.98 Up +0.34% | Egyptian Exchange (EGX) 30 Index 28224.37 Down -2.87% | Botswana Stock Exchange (BSE) DCI Same 0 | NSX: MTC 7.75 SAME | Anirep 8.99 SAME | Capricorn Investment group 17.34 SAME | FirstRand Namibia Ltd 49 DOWN 0.50% | Letshego Holdings (Namibia) Ltd 4.1 UP 2.50% | Namibia Asset Management Ltd 0.7 SAME | Namibia Breweries Ltd 31.49 UP 0.03% | Nictus Holdings - Nam 2.22 SAME | Oryx Properties Ltd 12.1 UP 1.70% | Paratus Namibia Holdings 11.99 SAME | SBN Holdings 8.45 SAME | Trustco Group Holdings Ltd 0.48 SAME | B2Gold Corporation 47.34 DOWN 1.50% | Local Index closed 677.62 UP 0.12% | Overall Index closed 1534.6 DOWN 0.05% | Osino Resources Corp 19.47 DOWN 2.41% | Commodities: Gold US$ 2 207.29/OZ UP +0.76% | Copper US$ 3.97/lb DOWN -0.0042 | Zinc US$ 2 447.40/T DOWN -0.37% | Brent Crude Oil US$ 86.98/BBP UP +0.68% | Platinum US$ 905.24/OZ UP +1.16% Sport results: Weather: Katima Mulilo: 19° | 37° Rundu: 17° | 33° Eenhana: 18° | 33° Oshakati: 20° | 31° Ruacana: 19° | 33° Tsumeb: 17° | 29° Otjiwarongo: 16° | 28° Omaruru: 18° | 31° Windhoek: 17° | 28° Gobabis: 17° | 28° Henties Bay: 16° | 19° Wind speed: 24km/h, Wind direction: S, Low tide: 10:54, High tide: 04:57, Low Tide: 22:58, High tide: 17:16 Swakopmund: 15° | 17° Wind speed: 29km/h, Wind direction: SW, Low tide: 10:52, High tide: 04:55, Low Tide: 22:56, High tide: 17:14 Walvis Bay: 16° | 22° Wind speed: 33km/h, Wind direction: SW, Low tide: 10:52, High tide: 04:54, Low Tide: 22:56, High tide: 17:13 Rehoboth: 18° | 29° Mariental: 22° | 32° Keetmanshoop: 21° | 34° Aranos: 21° | 31° Lüderitz: 15° | 29° Ariamsvlei: 23° | 34° Oranjemund: 15° | 21° Luanda: 27° | 30° Gaborone: 20° | 32° Lubumbashi: 17° | 24° Mbabane: 15° | 23° Maseru: 12° | 28° Antananarivo: 16° | 27° Lilongwe: 17° | 29° Maputo: 20° | 28° Windhoek: 17° | 28° Cape Town: 17° | 23° Durban: 21° | 25° Johannesburg: 18° | 28° Dar es Salaam: 26° | 32° Lusaka: 18° | 30° Harare: 15° | 31° Economic Indicators: Currency: GBP to NAD 23.95 | EUR to NAD 20.51 | CNY to NAD 2.63 | USD to NAD 18.99 | DZD to NAD 0.14 | AOA to NAD 0.02 | BWP to NAD 1.33 | EGP to NAD 0.39 | KES to NAD 0.14 | NGN to NAD 0.01 | ZMW to NAD 0.74 | ZWL to NAD 0.04 | BRL to NAD 3.8 | RUB to NAD 0.2 | INR to NAD 0.23 | USD to DZD 134.27 | USD to AOA 832.63 | USD to BWP 13.71 | USD to EGP 47.35 | USD to KES 130.98 | USD to NGN 1415.13 | USD to ZAR 18.99 | USD to ZMW 24.77 | USD to ZWL 321 | Stock Exchange: JSE All Share Index 73909.5 Up +0.41% | Namibian Stock Exchange (NSX) Overall Index 1516.02 Down -0.13% | Casablanca Stock Exchange (CSE) MASI 12981.98 Up +0.34% | Egyptian Exchange (EGX) 30 Index 28224.37 Down -2.87% | Botswana Stock Exchange (BSE) DCI Same 0 | NSX: MTC 7.75 SAME | Anirep 8.99 SAME | Capricorn Investment group 17.34 SAME | FirstRand Namibia Ltd 49 DOWN 0.50% | Letshego Holdings (Namibia) Ltd 4.1 UP 2.50% | Namibia Asset Management Ltd 0.7 SAME | Namibia Breweries Ltd 31.49 UP 0.03% | Nictus Holdings - Nam 2.22 SAME | Oryx Properties Ltd 12.1 UP 1.70% | Paratus Namibia Holdings 11.99 SAME | SBN Holdings 8.45 SAME | Trustco Group Holdings Ltd 0.48 SAME | B2Gold Corporation 47.34 DOWN 1.50% | Local Index closed 677.62 UP 0.12% | Overall Index closed 1534.6 DOWN 0.05% | Osino Resources Corp 19.47 DOWN 2.41% | Commodities: Gold US$ 2 207.29/OZ UP +0.76% | Copper US$ 3.97/lb DOWN -0.0042 | Zinc US$ 2 447.40/T DOWN -0.37% | Brent Crude Oil US$ 86.98/BBP UP +0.68% | Platinum US$ 905.24/OZ UP +1.16%