Community wants chief/Gaseb out
The !Oe-#Gan community said the local chief must leave by the end of this month, which will allow them to elect an interim leadership.
Chief Immanuel /Gaseb of the !Oe-#Gan community in Okombahe is under pressure from his community to step down by the end of March.
The community of the settlement in the Erongo Region on Friday handed over a document to the chief, saying they have lost confidence in him.
The document, as seen by Nampa instructs /Gaseb to step down as they have come to the conclusion that there is no prospect of economic advancement and unity for them under his leadership.
“Whether you resign or not, within seven days from 31 March, we shall elect an interim leadership for the community. The interim leadership shall be required within six months after its establishment to call a !Oe-#Gan general meeting to allow the community to elect a new chief,” it reads. The community alleges that the chief has failed to comply with the Traditional Authority Act and Customary Law for the past 17 years.
/Gaseb allegedly failed to establish a Board of Trustees and submit audited financial reports to the community for this period.
They also said he failed to establish legislative authority structures and operated in a vacuum, allegedly selling, donating and alienating portions of communal land for private investors without the consent of the community.
“You contravened Article 14 of the Customary Law of the !Oe-#Gan traditional community by failing for the past 17 years to hold council and annual general meetings for the community as required,” states the document. Another reason, they claimed, is the “protracted absence of the chief from the community and a hands-on remote control of the traditional authority from Windhoek, which rendered ineffective service delivery to the community.”
/Gaseb on Monday acknowledged receiving the letter and said he will meet with four of his senior councillors this week to discuss it.
Senior councillor Josef /Narib said the majority of the community are in support of the letter and this was proven during a community meeting held on Friday.
He also confirmed that they are waiting for the chief to inform them when is he is going to respond to the letter.
NAMPA
The community of the settlement in the Erongo Region on Friday handed over a document to the chief, saying they have lost confidence in him.
The document, as seen by Nampa instructs /Gaseb to step down as they have come to the conclusion that there is no prospect of economic advancement and unity for them under his leadership.
“Whether you resign or not, within seven days from 31 March, we shall elect an interim leadership for the community. The interim leadership shall be required within six months after its establishment to call a !Oe-#Gan general meeting to allow the community to elect a new chief,” it reads. The community alleges that the chief has failed to comply with the Traditional Authority Act and Customary Law for the past 17 years.
/Gaseb allegedly failed to establish a Board of Trustees and submit audited financial reports to the community for this period.
They also said he failed to establish legislative authority structures and operated in a vacuum, allegedly selling, donating and alienating portions of communal land for private investors without the consent of the community.
“You contravened Article 14 of the Customary Law of the !Oe-#Gan traditional community by failing for the past 17 years to hold council and annual general meetings for the community as required,” states the document. Another reason, they claimed, is the “protracted absence of the chief from the community and a hands-on remote control of the traditional authority from Windhoek, which rendered ineffective service delivery to the community.”
/Gaseb on Monday acknowledged receiving the letter and said he will meet with four of his senior councillors this week to discuss it.
Senior councillor Josef /Narib said the majority of the community are in support of the letter and this was proven during a community meeting held on Friday.
He also confirmed that they are waiting for the chief to inform them when is he is going to respond to the letter.
NAMPA
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