Supreme Court ushers Kudumo out of chieftaincy

KENYA KAMBOWE RUNDUThe Uukwangali community has to elect a new traditional chief after the Supreme Court last week dismissed an appeal by Eugene Siwombe Kudumo to retain the position.Last year, Kudumo turned to the Supreme Court in hopes it would overturn a Windhoek High Court ruling that relieved him of his chieftaincy.On 6 March 2019, Judge Harald Geier ruled that Kudumo's designation as chief of the traditional authority by then minister of urban and rural development Sophia Shaningwa on 15 February 2017 be set aside.Geier declared his designation “invalid and of no force or effect”.However, last Friday, Kudumo received what can be described as the final dagger to the heart when the Supreme Court struck his appeal off the record with costs.The matter was heard before deputy Chief Justice Petrus Damaseb, Justice Dave Smuts and Justice Theo Frank.Way forwardNamibian Sun understands the process of installing a new leader for the Vakwangali tribe will start soon.“Now we have to start the process as it was supposed to happen. We are now going to follow the customary law on the way forward,” a source said.The chieftaincy wrangle follows the death of Kudumo's grandfather, Chief Sitentu Daniel Mpasi in 2014.Despite Mpasi having chosen Kudumo as his heir and even announcing his selection in public, a pressure group led by the late Rudolf Ngondo and Severinus Siteketa refused to accept Kudumo as chief of the Vakwangali traditional community, saying he had not been appointed procedurally.They argued that the process in which the Vakwangali elders evaluate a number of candidates from royal families was not followed.It was on this basis that Ngondo and Siteketa, as well as 20 others, turned to the courts.Clinging onto powerGeier's judgment was not the first time the High Court set aside Kudumo's designation as chief, after deputy judge president Hosea Angula did as well in October 2016.Kudumo, however, remained defiant and refused to relinquish his power, despite the court order.Shaningwa entered into the fray on 15 February 2017 when she designated Kudumo as chief, also despite the court decision.On 15 August 2017, President Hage Geingob announced Kudumo's designation via the Government Gazette.However, this did not unite the royal family groupings, instead adding fuel to the conflict, which resulted in the matter being heard in the High Court in February.kenya@namibiansun.com

Supreme Court ushers Kudumo out of chieftaincy

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Namibian Sun 2025-06-18

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Supreme Court ushers Kudumo out of chieftaincy

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Namibian Sun 2025-06-18

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