King Elifas hailed as a unifier

Mourners across the country are paying their respects to Ondonga king Immanuel Kauluma Elifas, who died in a northern hospital yesterday morning. Tributes continue to pour in from all corners of the country, ranging from President Hage Geingob to opposition leader McHenry Venaani and ordinary citizens. In his tribute, Geingob hailed Elifas as a unifier. “I am saddened by the loss. A big tree has fallen,” said Geingob. “But as he said, 'don't cry for me, cry for yourselves, make peace with one another in the Ondonga Traditional Authority, and as Namibians.' Our nation has lost a key figure, a man of gravity and a great unifier who dedicated his entire life to serving others.”“Omukwaniilwa Kauluma, a leader I have known for decades, has been a fatherly figure, a friend, a sage, and a man of dignity. He did not only care about those who fell under his traditional authority, but treated everyone with affection and compassion,” the president added.Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) leader Venaani underscored the critical role the king played during and after the struggle for Namibia's independence. “Besides his humanitarian attributes and traditional leadership in our society, King Elifas was also instrumental before and after independence, in terms of caring for and nurturing his people. This is true not only for those under his authority, but also for those in nearby regions as well,” said Venaani. Damara king Justus //Garoëb said Elifas was a source of inspiration for many Namibians, and not only the Aandonga. “He was a great leader and a source of inspiration,” he said. Oshana governor Elia Irimari remembered Elifas as a humble man and unifier. “He didn't discriminate against anybody and sheltered even people from other tribes within his kingdom. Some are even traditional leaders (today),” he said. The senior headman for the Onalusheshete district, Eino Shondili Amutenya, said Elifas was a father-figure to Ondonga leaders and his legacy should be emulated. Hundreds of Namibians also took to social media to pay tribute to the 86-year-old king. Long reignCommonly known as Omukwaniilwa, Elifas was the one of the longest-serving leaders of the Ondonga kingdom, having ascended to the throne in August 1975. He served for nearly 44 years as the king of the Ondonga traditional community. The late Elifas also served for many years as chairperson of the Council of Traditional Leaders.

King Elifas hailed as a unifier

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Namibian Sun 2026-06-10

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King Elifas hailed as a unifier

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Namibian Sun 2026-06-10

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