Ondonga headmen clash
Tension boiled over during a meeting convened to discuss land issues within the Ondonga Traditional Authority.
Tempers flared during Monday's public meeting at Onamungudo to discuss allegations of land grabbing against influential members of the Ondonga Traditional Authority.
The discussion, chaired by Ondangwa traditional district senior headman John Walenga, got heated when members of the community accused children of the Ondonga King Immanuel Kauluma Elifas, the king's wife Cecilia, as well as the prominent headman of the Ondonga village Oscar Sheehama of confiscating their land and allocating it to their rich friends.
They are accused of using the king's name to confiscate land from poor villagers.
The meeting got a little rowdy when Sheehama, who was also in attendance, threatened both the complainants and meeting chair Walenga, who is his immediate senior.
The meeting ended in chaos as accusations flew left, right and centre against the four well-connected members of the Ondonga Traditional Authority.
Community members from the Onethindi, Onamungudo and Ondonga villages wrote letters to the Ondonga Traditional Authority alleging that they were losing their land to a group of powerful people from the palace led by the king's wife Cecilia, her son Toteya Elifas, daughter Katrina Elifas, Sheehama as well as a certain Thomas Amuthenu.
The traditional authority directed Walenga to host a meeting and hear from the community members what their complaints are.
The members claimed that their land deeds are confiscated from them and that their land is sold without their consent.
They say they are then put off their land. Joseph Nuukongo from Onamungudo told the meeting that in 2015 members of the Ondonga palace allocated several plots in his mahangu field without his consent before he was ordered to vacate it by force.
“Those people who approached me told me that they were sent by King Elifas to get my land from me. I refused, but one day when I woke up there were already poles in my field. We are tired of this,” Nuukongo said.
'Tribal'
This version of events was also supported by Ester Kalangula who said she was ordered to vacate her land because she is Kwanyama-speaking.
“They confiscated my deed and then they put up a fence.
They told me that even if I go to the Ondonga Traditional Authority I will not get any help.”
Another victim Gabriel Kanime complained that the same group of people got him arrested in 2014 and while in jail they sold his land. “I went all the way to the land board with my complaint, but I was not assisted. That is why I wrote to the authority to help me,” Kanime said.
Walenga told Namibian Sun that he was just executing his traditional authority mandate when he called the meeting.
“These people reported their matters to the authority bypassing their village headmen and district senior headman. That is why I was called to listen to them. I am going to submit their concerns to the council and hear what they are going to say,” he said. The meeting turned chaotic when Sheehama started attacking members of the community, while he also accused Walenga of having a problem with him. “I got the power from the king to always represent the Olukonda sub-senior headman. Everything I do, I do it with that power. I do not know why I was called to this meeting if land allocation problems are not at my village but at other villages,” Sheehama said. Sheehama's village falls under Walenga's jurisdiction, but he (Sheehama) threatened him saying “he will get what he is looking for”.
'Walenga is lying'
The king's daughter, Katrina, has denied allegations implicating her in the land grabbing scandal, saying people are just envious of the royal family and want to get rid of the queen. It was alleged in the meeting that Katrina confiscated land from one family and allocated it to her husband, businessman David 'Kambwa' Sheehama. “Kambwa does not have land where they are saying he does. I do not even stay there, how can I take their land? Walenga and his people must tell the truth,” Katrina said.
Namibian Sun understands that the infighting within the Ondonga Traditional Authority is somewhat linked to the succession tug-of-war within the traditional authority to replace the ailing king.
Sheehama has been linked to the throne and reportedly enjoys support of the Ondonga queen. When approached for comment the chairperson of the Ondonga Traditional Authority Peter Kauluma cancelled the call.
ILENI NANDJATO
The discussion, chaired by Ondangwa traditional district senior headman John Walenga, got heated when members of the community accused children of the Ondonga King Immanuel Kauluma Elifas, the king's wife Cecilia, as well as the prominent headman of the Ondonga village Oscar Sheehama of confiscating their land and allocating it to their rich friends.
They are accused of using the king's name to confiscate land from poor villagers.
The meeting got a little rowdy when Sheehama, who was also in attendance, threatened both the complainants and meeting chair Walenga, who is his immediate senior.
The meeting ended in chaos as accusations flew left, right and centre against the four well-connected members of the Ondonga Traditional Authority.
Community members from the Onethindi, Onamungudo and Ondonga villages wrote letters to the Ondonga Traditional Authority alleging that they were losing their land to a group of powerful people from the palace led by the king's wife Cecilia, her son Toteya Elifas, daughter Katrina Elifas, Sheehama as well as a certain Thomas Amuthenu.
The traditional authority directed Walenga to host a meeting and hear from the community members what their complaints are.
The members claimed that their land deeds are confiscated from them and that their land is sold without their consent.
They say they are then put off their land. Joseph Nuukongo from Onamungudo told the meeting that in 2015 members of the Ondonga palace allocated several plots in his mahangu field without his consent before he was ordered to vacate it by force.
“Those people who approached me told me that they were sent by King Elifas to get my land from me. I refused, but one day when I woke up there were already poles in my field. We are tired of this,” Nuukongo said.
'Tribal'
This version of events was also supported by Ester Kalangula who said she was ordered to vacate her land because she is Kwanyama-speaking.
“They confiscated my deed and then they put up a fence.
They told me that even if I go to the Ondonga Traditional Authority I will not get any help.”
Another victim Gabriel Kanime complained that the same group of people got him arrested in 2014 and while in jail they sold his land. “I went all the way to the land board with my complaint, but I was not assisted. That is why I wrote to the authority to help me,” Kanime said.
Walenga told Namibian Sun that he was just executing his traditional authority mandate when he called the meeting.
“These people reported their matters to the authority bypassing their village headmen and district senior headman. That is why I was called to listen to them. I am going to submit their concerns to the council and hear what they are going to say,” he said. The meeting turned chaotic when Sheehama started attacking members of the community, while he also accused Walenga of having a problem with him. “I got the power from the king to always represent the Olukonda sub-senior headman. Everything I do, I do it with that power. I do not know why I was called to this meeting if land allocation problems are not at my village but at other villages,” Sheehama said. Sheehama's village falls under Walenga's jurisdiction, but he (Sheehama) threatened him saying “he will get what he is looking for”.
'Walenga is lying'
The king's daughter, Katrina, has denied allegations implicating her in the land grabbing scandal, saying people are just envious of the royal family and want to get rid of the queen. It was alleged in the meeting that Katrina confiscated land from one family and allocated it to her husband, businessman David 'Kambwa' Sheehama. “Kambwa does not have land where they are saying he does. I do not even stay there, how can I take their land? Walenga and his people must tell the truth,” Katrina said.
Namibian Sun understands that the infighting within the Ondonga Traditional Authority is somewhat linked to the succession tug-of-war within the traditional authority to replace the ailing king.
Sheehama has been linked to the throne and reportedly enjoys support of the Ondonga queen. When approached for comment the chairperson of the Ondonga Traditional Authority Peter Kauluma cancelled the call.
ILENI NANDJATO
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