Ondonga infighting gets dirty

Recently installed Ondonga village headman Oscar Sheehama claims there is a dirty campaign to rob him of his birthright as heir to the tribal throne. Speaking to Namibian Sun, Sheehama said conflict has been created by a faction within the traditional authority, who see him as a threat and possible successor to Ondonga King Immanuel Kauluma Elifas. “Now that I’m much closer to the king, it is a pain in their a**. That is the real issue,” said Sheehama. Sheehama was reacting to allegations that he had bought a stolen cow from a fellow villager without verifying ownership. In the stock theft case registered with the Ondangwa police, it is alleged that a certain Aron Leonard stole the cow from his uncle’s kraal and sold it to Sheehama for N$2 400. Leonard, who still insists that the cow belonged to him, was eventually arrested for the crime and spent several months in prison until he was granted bail. The cow, which Sheehama slaughtered soon after purchasing, was allegedly bought without a livestock document from a traditional authority or any attempt by Sheehama as headman to verify the true owner. Sheehama, a former chief inspector in the Police, says the allegations were merely brought to the media to discredit him and tarnish his image as a possible heir. The incident occurred before Sheehama was installed as Ondonga village headman by the king himself in late October last year and was in fact brought to the attention of the Ondonga Traditional Authority. Namibian Sun understands the matter is still being discussed by the Ondonga leadership. “If livestock is sold within one village, a document of ownership is not necessary. Those who brought the story to the media are using a non-substantial issue of a cow for bigger issues,” he said. Pendapala Nakathingo, Leonard’s uncle, questioned why Sheehama didn’t receive the same treatment, as people who buy stolen goods are just as guilty as the thieves. “My nephew told the headman that I gave him the cattle as a gift, but the headman never approached me to verify if this was in fact true. Instead he bought the cattle without any documents and slaughtered it,” said an irate Nakathingo. The chairperson of the Ondonga Traditional Authority, Peter Kauluma, says grievances are first reported to junior headmen before they reach his office and the matter has not reached his desk. Peter did, however, add that while a document is not required when a headman is purchasing cattle from someone in his village, it is the duty of the headman to establish ownership. “The headman has to verify the ownership by asking important questions such as where the villager got the cattle from and the headman also has to get a relative to verify the fellow villager’s claims of ownership,” said Kauluma. In 2010, Sheehama stepped on a few toes in the royal palace when he publicly declared that he should be the next Ondonga king. This was done despite King Kauluma having already identified his successor. Sheehama made the declaration with the support of other royals who were demanding the authority to stick to traditional rules governing leadership succession. The Ondonga royal family has two branches, with the matrilineal Epale line allegedly receiving the majority of all the support at the expense of the Onethika dynasty. All Ondonga kings for the past 45 years have been from the Epale branch, including the person the king identified as his successor. Sheehama is from the Onethika dynasty. Sheehama singled out the senior headman of the Ondangwa district, John Nangombe Walenga, and suspended spokesperson of the Ondonga palace Teofilus Ikwa as the forces behind Nakathingo. “I was delegated by the king to assist the ward headman investigate Ikwa. If it was not for me, the evils of Ikwa would not have been revealed. The issue of the cattle is to block me from pursuing Ikwa and all his evil,” said Sheehama. Sheehama added that he made history when he was installed as headman as, unlike other headmen who are installed by their senior headman, his installation was done by the king himself. He noted that this was partially because senior headman Walenga defied the king’s instructions by refusing to install him as Ondonga village headman. Walenga denied that he refused the king’s order as he claims no such order came to his attention. “How can I refuse something I’m not aware of? I’m the one who is supposed to take him to the king, if we are speaking procedurally. If he went to the king personally, then where is the problem in the king installing him? “We are there to serve the king. What is so special about Oscar? Let him just face what people are alleging as I have nothing personal against him,” said Walenga. OSHAKATI MERJA IILEKA