Dictators are advocating for village split: Chief Kavela

THE idea of splitting Edimba from Ohaihana village in the Ohangwena Region is being spearheaded by ‘dictators’, says Ohaihana village chief Ester Kavela.

She dismissed last month’s statement by the spokesperson of the eight traditional authorities in the North, Boas Mweendeleli, that Edimba already had a natural border with Ohaihana and could stand on its own. “Mweendeleli does not know what he is saying, as he does not know the area,” said Kavela.She said it was obvious that supporters of the idea do not want to be ruled by women.”This shows that we are being ruled by dictators,” she told The Namibian.Kavela inherited Ohaihana village from her late husband, Vilho Kavela, in 1997.Kavela said since 1927 – the year Ohaihana was established – Edimba had been part and parcel of Ohaihana and had no border with the rest of the village.She said there are only about five homesteads at Edimba.Two weeks ago, the spokesperson of the Oukwanyama Traditional Authority (OTA), Michael Heita, said the separation of Edimba from Ohaihana had been approved by the OTA on January 16.He said an OTA meeting held at Ohangwena endorsed the decision made by eight traditional leaders at Oshakati in 2005 that Edimba should be allowed to split from Ohaihana.Heita said the meeting mandated Job Haihambo, the Senior Headman of Ohakafiya District, under which Ohaihana falls, to demarcate the boundaries between Edimba and Ohaihana.This has yet to be done.”Mweendeleli does not know what he is saying, as he does not know the area,” said Kavela.She said it was obvious that supporters of the idea do not want to be ruled by women.”This shows that we are being ruled by dictators,” she told The Namibian.Kavela inherited Ohaihana village from her late husband, Vilho Kavela, in 1997.Kavela said since 1927 – the year Ohaihana was established – Edimba had been part and parcel of Ohaihana and had no border with the rest of the village.She said there are only about five homesteads at Edimba.Two weeks ago, the spokesperson of the Oukwanyama Traditional Authority (OTA), Michael Heita, said the separation of Edimba from Ohaihana had been approved by the OTA on January 16.He said an OTA meeting held at Ohangwena endorsed the decision made by eight traditional leaders at Oshakati in 2005 that Edimba should be allowed to split from Ohaihana.Heita said the meeting mandated Job Haihambo, the Senior Headman of Ohakafiya District, under which Ohaihana falls, to demarcate the boundaries between Edimba and Ohaihana.This has yet to be done.