OvaHerero desire unity as red flag is commemorated

Some OvaHerero people who gathered at Okahandja over the weekend to commemorate their 90th Red Flag Day said that they want a united OvaHerero community, referring to an ongoing dispute between two rival Herero groups.The squabble between a faction under the leadership of OvaHerero Paramount Chief Kuaima Riruako and another associated with the Maharero Royal House is over the location of the holy fire at the Red Flag Commando One in Okahandja.Last year the two factions confronted each other when Riruako allegedly relocated the holy fire and the police had to intervene to maintain law and order. This weekend&rsquo;s commemoration was organised by Riruako and the OvaHerero Traditional Authority despite the Maharero Traditional Authority lodging a High Court application to have the event stopped. The Maharero faction asked the court that it should be declared as the only entity with the sole right to establish and maintain a holy fire at that Commando.Riruako&rsquo;s group had moved the commemoration to last weekend in order to be able to join other Namibians in celebrating Heroes&rsquo; Day at Ongulumbashe this coming weekend. Normally, the annual commemoration takes place on August 26. Ben Mbariko, an elder in the OvaHerero community, said he dreams of days when the two factions can sit side by side as descendants of the &ldquo;same mother&rdquo;.&ldquo;Where there are people, there is always a way. If people come together and talk this can be done,&rdquo; said Mbariko.&ldquo;When we come together we will be able to reach an agreement. We are children of the same parents; we should not allow our words to separate us.&ldquo;It is normal for people to have disagreements but that should not be allowed to come between us. After any disagreement we should be able to come back together and talk things through.&rdquo;Mbariko, who joined hundreds of OvaHerero and OvaMbanderu people at Okahandja, said that politics should never mingle with traditional matters.A youthful Rosa Muhaindjumba said OvaHerero unity is possible if the two factions put ideas together instead of fighting each other. &ldquo;If people are united, no obstacle will stand in their way. They are able to overcome and face anything when standing next to each other,&rdquo; said Muhaindjumba.According to Thusnelde Hango, it is sad that people speaking the same language had to resort to courts to sort out an issue that they could have dealt with internally.&ldquo;I want to see my people united and commemorating this milestone together as brothers and sisters and not as enemies. We are of the same blood,&rdquo; said Hango.&ldquo;What will we tell the future generations about why we do not commemorate an event as big as this together? Now we even need the police to commemorate our heritage.&ldquo;Is that how things are supposed to be?&rdquo;She stressed that there is a need for leaders to put down party colours and put tradition and culture ahead of anything else.Melvin Karuhumba said in order for the OvaHerero people to walk with their heads held high, they should destroy the disunity that exists between the factions.&ldquo;We can&rsquo;t have separated people everywhere. We are all Hereros. &ldquo;Why can&rsquo;t we just sit and talk things through? I do not think this fight will get us anywhere,&rdquo; said Karuhumba.

OvaHerero desire unity as red flag is commemorated

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Namibian Sun 2025-06-10

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OvaHerero desire unity as red flag is commemorated

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Namibian Sun 2025-06-10

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