A 'witch-hunt stunt' positioning for posts
By Paul T. Shipale

March 21ST 1990, a nation was born from underneath the rubbles of oppression and a yoke of subjugation to be “for ever free, sovereign and independent”. 20 years down the line, the newborn baby nation has grown to be ‘a visionary nation on the move’ from adolescence to becoming a mature nation. Let us look at the annals of what social anthropologists call “live archives” by Nela-Frieda Williams from her book “Pre Colonial History…” from the National archive to look at the dangerous and falsely touted ‘witch-hunt’ stunt branded to our faces to hide the sinister ploy of positioning for posts and prove that all groups are inter-related.

“Tribal” divisions based on race were not known in Africa during the pre-colonial period; rather, the division that existed among these people was based on clan organization and their blood relations were defined on the basis of clan or totem (Amunyela, Amutshila, ELC. 344;). The term ethnic community here is used according to the definition devised by è Nzièm, who stated that “the linguistic community, which had hitherto been homogeneous where the clan was concerned, now included representatives from other clan thus becoming inter-clan. As a result of this process, brothers of the same clan were dispersed and became members of other communities, heterogeneous from the clan point of view but based on a language which was common to all members” (è Nzièm, Ndaywel (1980) clan history and ethnical h i s t o r y, U N E S C O , v o l 7,no.22,p.66).

Western institutions produced scholars, fail to realize that western epistemology based on empiricism does not provide a conceptual framework in which traditional matters can be explained such as visions or clans which they quickly dismiss as ‘superstitions’. These scholars also fail to grasp the type of ideology behind the customary norms and practices, reducing them to simple ’mambo jumbo’ while these practices served as social norms for sanctification including asylum and refuge for the persecuted who could run to a burial site of the last king similar to the biblical three cities of refuge (Deuteronomy 19:1-7).

One such taboo says “two elephants can not be in the shade of one shrub”, meaning “two rulers can not be in one country” (Oondjamba mbali ihadhi gondjo moshihwa shimwe= Aapangeliyaali ihaa kala moshilongo shimwe). When one king crosses into the other’s territory, the expression “he has lost authority” (Okwa lyata iifo= Okwa tutuka) is used as a taboo meant to ensure respect for the territorial borders of other kingdoms and territorial sovereignty. Let me also disprove the doctrine that says Ovawambo did not loose any land, while we are at it. A conflict of succession occurred between the elder brother Kambonde kaMpingana and Nehale yaMpingana effectively splitting the Ndonga kingdom. Nehale fought against the invaders while Kambonde gave a piece of land between Otavi and Grootfontein known as Oshaandashongwe to William Worthington Jordaan (who was killed by Nehale) when he (William) asked the Ovaherero king Maharero at Okahandja and King Manasse at Omaruru who told him that the land belongs to Kambonde (see Namuhuja, H.D. 1996, “The Ondonga Royal Kings” & Matti Peltola, 2002 “Nakambale”).

Meekulu Justina Haihambo prophesied on the 14th of October 2007, the year RDP was formed, about “Two bulls in the same kraal”. She said then that ‘the bull found in the country was quiet while the countrymen were wondering,” will someone awaken the bull, and can’t it hear the other bull bellowing?” Then they said “it is impossible for the bull to be defeated in its own country” and then it started to pose for territorial threat marking. This sounds so similar to the two elephants’ idiom. Who are the presidential advisors? Are some acting like Zadok and Abisai, I mean Abiathar the Priest who supported Absalom and Adonijah conspiracies of a coup de palais?

They must tell the President which ‘bull’ do they support (2 Samuel 15 & 1kings1). The dangerous and childish ‘Kwanyama bashing’ or ‘anti-Kwanyama’ doctrine is just another disguised strategy branded to our faces every time there is a sinister plan in the making to entrench some people closer to the President ‘to win the president’s confidence and become de facto advisors’ by constantly touting the ‘witch-hunt stunt’ similar to the Shipanga ‘anti-intellectuals and anti-Ndonga stunt’ to drive a wedge between the then secretary for defense Nanyemba and President Nujoma in an effort to fill the military wing with trusted lieutenants similar to ‘a mini parallel government’ occupying all strategic positions and now they want to drive a wedge between President Pohamba and the Founding President again. Only a political blind will not see through such tactics of the same ploy coinciding with the time when the President is forming a cabinet so as to include the ‘Home boys and daughters’ and protect them just later to hear that ‘there are people everywhere on a mission, including at State House’.

It is also laughable now that the falsely touted ‘realignment or alliance with the Ndongas’ to give a upper hand to the orchestrated plans of dividing the Ovawambos based on ‘tribal alliances of the east and the west’ after attempts to get the owambos in Angola fell flat on its knees, now even men of cloth are co-opted to do the dirty work of instigating ‘intertribal conflicts’ in a typical Rwandan priests style.

We are told there is discrimination against one group in terms of employment but what happened in the 1990s when almost 90% employed senior civil servants were from one ethnic group? how come prominent members of the cloth did not raise a single voice then including when some were calling others ‘Ovanailongo’ and ‘Omusati clique’? Who are these marginalized people and by whom are they marginalized? The Nation must be very careful of these types of tribal oriented versions which can be virulent spitting venom of destruction. One does not need to look further than Rwanda, on our continent, where some men of the cloth instigated inter-ethnic tension.

The truth about Ovawambo settlement is that there are three groups that settled in Owambo. One group came from Ombwenge, as Kavango was known by the Wambos, and moved to Oshamba. This is the group of Andongas, Aangandjeras, Aakwambis and Mangundu. The other group belongs to Sitenu from the fish hawk or eagle clan that came from Evale to Osimolo and later moved to Ositeve. Mushindi kanene from the corn clan came from lower Kavango to Osimolo when “Osheetekela” meaning (an attempt to peace failed), he then moved to Hakafia then to Oshamba. Kanene’s group met another group by kambungu of the cattle clan at Hakafia which came from Humbe to onameva, then to Onambambi, to Ondombodhola and then to Onehula. According to some accounts, members of the Python snake clan (Ekuusinda, Ekwaanyoka, Ekwamuyanga, Ekwashitha) lost their dominant position to the Hyena clan with their superior rain-making skills but the two are allowed to marry (Rautanen’s dairies XXVIII: 2,11JULY 1889, P. 568). Examples of hyenas intermarrying with python snake clans are copious in Ondonga from Nambahu yaAmatundu sister of king Nembungu lya Amatundu who married Amutenya gwa Sheya, a Kuusinda (snake clan) and bored the famous Ndonga king Nangolo dha Amutenya and Nashikoto yaAmutenya who married Kalulu another Kuusinda (snake clan) and bored Shikongo sha Kalulu. Princess Iifo ya Nankwaya, mother to king Iitana ya Nekwiyu was also married to Nekwiyu a Kuusinda (see Namuhuja, H.D. 1996, “The Ondonga Royal Kings). However, “the rain-making skill of the Hyena royal clan link was broken by a conflict of succession between Shipanga sha Amukwiita and Shikongo sha Kalulu which undermined the hereditary ritual in Ondonga and shikongo was exiled to Ombadja” where he escaped execution(Rautanen’s Diaries, 11.07.1889, Namuhuja, 1996).

Shikongo was left-handed (Osimu yolumoho ya kalulu) yet ascended the throne and could speak Otjiherero and Nama. He invited missionary Hugo Hahn to Omandongo and welcomed churches in July 1870. The dispersion of clans in Owambo took place from Oshamba; from where four clan leaders and their followers moved to the west and the north where they founded new kingdoms in Ongandjera, Uukwambi and Uukwanyama with Aandonga remaining at Oshamba and the Ovawambo extended to Uukwaludhi, Uukolonkazi, Ombalantu including Ombadja, Eshinga, Ondombodhola, Onkankwa, Ndongwena, Evale and Kafima according to Sckär (1932); Pettinen (1926); Rautanen’s diaries (11 July 1889); (Kampungu, 1965; Gibson, 1981); (Mainga, 1973 and Sumbwa, 1979). That is way borders’ disputes should be handled with care and no changes should be entertained! People should not use their tribal mirror reflecting themselves to project it on our peaceful nation.

During the constant population Migration some clans adopted new ethnic identities with Names such as ‘royal from both clans’ (Omukwananghali). According to Nela-frieda Williams, ‘two members from the same royal clan committed a taboo (oshidhila) and the male was ordered to slaughter a cow while the female was ordered to cook beans which resulted in members from both clans crying, fearing that they may loose, hence the name ‘ovakwananghali’ and I suspect that the man was from the cattle clan while the woman came from the hyena clan also known as ekwanamakunde; ‘omakunde’ means beans.

Studies along with archeological findings at Kapako, Vunguvungu and Dikundu which sites dates back to 850 +/- 50 A.D, suggest ethnic and linguistic relationship and clear correlations between these people first settlement areas and recorded oral traditions from the Lunda-Luba (Reefe, 1977, pp 183-205; Vansina1984); from the Luyana-Lozi and luvalelwena( Mainga, 1973 and Sumbwa, 1979) from the Imbangala-chokwe, Ovimbundu- Nkumbi-Tjimba (McCulloch, 1952; Vansina 1965 and Miller 1976); from the Nyemba- Mbundja-kwangari (Kampungu, 1965; Gibson, 1981) and from Evale-Owambo-Herero-Himba people which help to comprehend better the cultural traits of these people. In the linguistic studies done under the general umbrella of Western Bantu classifications, Baucom, p46 (1974) concluded that their dialects belonged to the Kunene-kubango languages, and Pfouts (1983 .pp. 120-121) interestingly links the Kunene- Kubango to the Luyana and further afield. One can thus conclude that we are indeed one African people and despite attempts to divide us; we shall remain ‘for ever free, sovereign and independent’ as one nation and Pan-Africanists!

Now that the President-elect is sure to be sworn-in and appoint his cabinet, there are four types of ministries to consider; the political-diplomatic & justice ministries of the PM, Presidential & Foreign affairs and local government for top leaders, the Economical ministries such as Finance Mines and Fisheries for performing expert technocrats followed by the service ministries such as Home affairs for administrators and finally, the Public Service Ministries such as Defense and education for managers. I hope the President will appoint a female PM or a leader of the majority party in parliament deputized by a young technocrat to set a precedent in the appointment of PMs based on constitutional requirements.