Ondonga: Geingob intervenes
The head of state yesterday met with the fired Ondonga leaders, days after former president Sam Nujoma had admonished them over dragging their king to court.
ILENI NANDJATO
Tensions within the Ondonga community have reached new heights after President Hage Geingob summoned a group of fired traditional leaders to meet with him at State House yesterday.
The urgent meeting came closely on the heels of Founding President Sam Nujoma’s meeting with King Immanuel Kauluma Elifas, whom the dismissed councillors have dragged to court to challenge their dismissal.
Namibian Sun can confirm that some of the senior councillors led by Fillemon Shuumbwa, who is still officially considered as heir apparent to the ailing king Elifas, boarded a plane from Ondangwa for a meeting with the head of state in Windhoek yesterday.
Oniipa mayor Mannetjies Kambonde, who was one of the individuals called by Nujoma to withdraw his support for the dismissed councillors, also formed part of the State House delegation.
Last week, Oshakati High Court Judge Maphios Cheda granted an order compelling Elifas to give oral testimony in the matter in which the councillors are challenging their dismissal.
Cheda ordered that the legal teams set a date within 14 days on which the king would be required to testify.
Nujoma visited Elifas at his Onamungudo palace where he had reportedly expressed disappointment with the fired councillors for dragging the king to court following their firing.
The dismissed leaders, through their lawyer Elize Angula, assisted by George Coleman, made a submission on 30 July that King Elifas must give oral evidence.
The king's lawyer, Elia Shikongo, assisted by Sandra Miller, objected on the grounds that the applicants wanted to test the king's mental capabilities.
The dismissed councillors claimed in court they have not had access to the king, which made them suspicious that the decision to dismiss them had been influenced by others.
“It was clearly presented that the king authored the dismissal letters that were presented to the traditional councillors and he also read and understood the affidavit that was filed at the court, as he signed it.”
Urban and rural development minister Peya Mushelenga, under whose ministry traditional authorities reside, yesterday could not confirm or deny that the meeting took place.
“I recommend that you call State House since the president has a spokesperson,” he said briefly.
State House spokesperson Alfredo Hengari asked for questions to be sent to him, but failed to respond by the time of going to print.
The fired councillors are backing Shuumbwa as successor to Elifas, but their move has been strongly opposed by the royal family, led by the king's wife, Sesilia Elifas.
The rival faction supporting Shuumbwa has accused the king's wife of making decisions on behalf of the ailing monarch. The group of fired councillors are still gazetted as official leaders of the Ondonga authority.
The government, through the justice ministry, also continues to support them as recognised officials of the Ondonga community court.
The dismissed councillors are former traditional authority chairperson Peter Kauluma, former secretary Joseph Asino, senior headman for the Ondangwa district John Walenga, former Oshikoto governor Vilho Kamanya, Kashona kaMalulu, Tonata Ngulu and Fillemon Nambili.
Although still gazetted, the king has replaced the dismissed councillors with new councillors, including Nujoma’s former bodyguard, Nepando Amupanda.
Tensions within the Ondonga community have reached new heights after President Hage Geingob summoned a group of fired traditional leaders to meet with him at State House yesterday.
The urgent meeting came closely on the heels of Founding President Sam Nujoma’s meeting with King Immanuel Kauluma Elifas, whom the dismissed councillors have dragged to court to challenge their dismissal.
Namibian Sun can confirm that some of the senior councillors led by Fillemon Shuumbwa, who is still officially considered as heir apparent to the ailing king Elifas, boarded a plane from Ondangwa for a meeting with the head of state in Windhoek yesterday.
Oniipa mayor Mannetjies Kambonde, who was one of the individuals called by Nujoma to withdraw his support for the dismissed councillors, also formed part of the State House delegation.
Last week, Oshakati High Court Judge Maphios Cheda granted an order compelling Elifas to give oral testimony in the matter in which the councillors are challenging their dismissal.
Cheda ordered that the legal teams set a date within 14 days on which the king would be required to testify.
Nujoma visited Elifas at his Onamungudo palace where he had reportedly expressed disappointment with the fired councillors for dragging the king to court following their firing.
The dismissed leaders, through their lawyer Elize Angula, assisted by George Coleman, made a submission on 30 July that King Elifas must give oral evidence.
The king's lawyer, Elia Shikongo, assisted by Sandra Miller, objected on the grounds that the applicants wanted to test the king's mental capabilities.
The dismissed councillors claimed in court they have not had access to the king, which made them suspicious that the decision to dismiss them had been influenced by others.
“It was clearly presented that the king authored the dismissal letters that were presented to the traditional councillors and he also read and understood the affidavit that was filed at the court, as he signed it.”
Urban and rural development minister Peya Mushelenga, under whose ministry traditional authorities reside, yesterday could not confirm or deny that the meeting took place.
“I recommend that you call State House since the president has a spokesperson,” he said briefly.
State House spokesperson Alfredo Hengari asked for questions to be sent to him, but failed to respond by the time of going to print.
The fired councillors are backing Shuumbwa as successor to Elifas, but their move has been strongly opposed by the royal family, led by the king's wife, Sesilia Elifas.
The rival faction supporting Shuumbwa has accused the king's wife of making decisions on behalf of the ailing monarch. The group of fired councillors are still gazetted as official leaders of the Ondonga authority.
The government, through the justice ministry, also continues to support them as recognised officials of the Ondonga community court.
The dismissed councillors are former traditional authority chairperson Peter Kauluma, former secretary Joseph Asino, senior headman for the Ondangwa district John Walenga, former Oshikoto governor Vilho Kamanya, Kashona kaMalulu, Tonata Ngulu and Fillemon Nambili.
Although still gazetted, the king has replaced the dismissed councillors with new councillors, including Nujoma’s former bodyguard, Nepando Amupanda.
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