Nujoma urges Mbanderus to hold hands

OKAHANDJA, 18 JUN  – Founding President Sam Nujoma on Sunday appealed to the Ovambanderu community to put their differences aside and build their rich culture and tradition for the benefit of the entire Namibia.
The Ovambanderu community has been divided into factions since the death of Chief Munjuku Nguvauva in January 2008.
Nujoma was speaking during the 122nd commemoration of the battle of Otjunda held in Okahandja.
The battle of Otjunda culminated in the execution of Chief Kahimemua Nguvauva by the German Schutztruppe at Okahandja on 12 June 1896.
Nujoma reminded the Ovambanderu people that the late Chief Munjuku Nguvauva fought tirelessly for years for the unification of the Mbanderu people and urged Acting Chief Gerson Katjirua to continue the work towards bringing peace to the community. He said this would be an investment in the education of that community and other Namibian children.
“I encourage the Ovambanderu community under your able leadership to join the Namibian government in its developmental efforts in order to uplift all our people,” he said.
The Ovambanderu people, he pointed out, have historically played a pivotal role in the liberation of Namibia and later in her development.
Nujoma described the late Chief Nguvauva as the first person to pay the highest sacrifice by the brutal forces of imperial Germany, which converged upon Africa in general and Namibia in particular, “when they decided to divide the continent amongst themselves on a silver platter at Potsdam near Berlin in 1884”.
The Founding Father further applauded the active and decisive role that community and other traditional authorities play in advancing the genocide negotiations alongside the government.
“I urge you to continue to constructively interrogate the process with a view to advance a final and positive solution to the affected communities,” Nujoma said.
This year’s commemoration was held under the theme, ‘Custom/tradition based on past experiences for a better and prosperous future’.

NAMPA