Namibia under a dark cloud - Geingob

President Hage Geingob says Namibia is currently under a dark cloud of a social evil that threatens to destroy the fabric of its social harmony.

“Our nation is reeling… We are reeling from the shock and devastation caused by the gruesome murders and killings of our women and girls by the very men and boys who should be protecting them from harm,” Geingob said in his opening address yesterday at the 21st annual meeting of the Council of Traditional Leaders.

He said ending gender-based violence and ensuring the security of women and children should become a national priority.

“Therefore, each and every leader in our society, including our traditional leaders, have a responsibility to ensure that cowards who harm and kill our mothers and daughters are brought to book.

“I am calling on all of us, including traditional leaders, to continue to act decisively to bring an end to these senseless killings,” Geingob said.

He also spoke out strongly against disputes and infighting within traditional authorities, saying they are a drain on government resources.

Geingob said the integrity of traditional authorities has come under threat due to infighting and leadership succession disputes that continue to prevail.

He said it is particularly disheartening when one looks at this in the context of the new narrative of nation building, which posits the importance of unity, holding hands and pulling together in the same direction, in the spirit of Harambee.

“In no way do these incidences of infighting contribute towards the promotion and preservation of unity and the interest of the community.”

Geingob said government resources should be allocated towards infrastructure development, education, health and uplifting the poor and needy.

He said some of these resources were now being used for the purposes of resolving these needless disputes.

“Every society has a set of values covering various aspects of human endeavour. Issues of chieftainship succession in Africa should focus on maintaining the values and traditions of society, in the interests of the wider community.”

He said foregoing the traditional formula and taking these disputes into the arena of modern-day courts, erodes the traditional values and norms of the society.

“I believe that these matters should be deliberated on at this conference to ensure that traditional authorities maintain their social stature. Let us not demean the stature of our chiefs, captains, hompas, gaobs, ombara and omukwaniilwas, by forcing them to become embroiled in farcical disputes concerning succession.

“Our traditional leaders are sources of valuable wisdom, and most notably, they play a crucial role in providing a sense of continuity and stability in an era of change.

“These are some of the principle reasons why government continues to value its relationship with traditional authorities,” the head of state told the gathering, which ends on Friday.

Geingob said traditional leaders have always been a valuable resource in Africa, who strengthen the community and polity within society.

He said the upcoming second land conference in October will discuss a number of important and difficult issues, such as ancestral, communal, urban and rural land, and settlement projects.

“It is my belief that the outcome of the conference will enable us, as a nation, to take concrete steps towards solving the land question. I call on our traditional authorities to join us in ensuring that deliberations will take place in a spirit of unity of purpose and (with) a common agenda.”

ELLANIE SMIT