Denver Kisting
20 April 2011
“THERE will be no consolation in an atmosphere of division and hatred…”
Bishop Zephania Kameeta did not mince words about the division amongst the Ovambanderu community when he addressed thousands of mourners at a memorial service of Keharanjo II Nguvauva in the Parliament Gardens yesterday.
Kameeta told Keharanjo II Nguvauva’s mother, Aletha Nguvauva, that “with all [the] respect that you deserve, I am not able to console you in this atmosphere”.
According to Kameeta, “tears will only be wiped away by the love of God and by reconciliation”.
Keharanjo II Nguvauva, the paramount chief of one faction of this deeply divided community, committed suicide by hanging himself in Windhoek’s Khomasdal residential area on Friday, April 8.
Kameeta wanted to know: “What do you want to still happen, dear Ovambanderu community, other than this tragedy? This is not the hour of this group or the other group. This is the hour of unity and peace.”
Keharanjo II Nguvauva and his half-brother, Deputy Fisheries Minister Kilus Nguvauva, have been involved in a bitter and protracted battle over the Ovambanderu chieftainship after their father, chief Munjuku Nguvauva, died in 2008.
Kilus Nguvauva was conspicuous by his absence at yesterday afternoon’s gathering.
According to Kameeta, “this darkness [of the feud] is compounded by animosity… that might lead to violence – not of strangers but of one family”.
The bishop used the Bible verse, John 3 verse 16, as the theme for his sermon. This text says: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son so that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
During his message of condolence, founding President Sam Nujoma described Keharanjo II Nguvauva as “a descendant of one of Namibia’s national heroes”.
Nujoma said he hoped that Keharanjo II Nguvauva’s “departure at the prime age of his life – at the tender age of 26 – [would] serve as a reminder to rededicate ourselves to nation building and [to] strive for unity amongst our people”.
In his eulogy, Youth Minister Kazenambo Kazenambo described the contested paramount chief as a “true seed which reflected, represented, articulated and symbolised the characteristics of his royal forebears. His bravery, unwavering commitment, dedication and determination to whatever he was pursuing resembled and symbolised the inborn and inherent characteristics, and natural instinct ” of their ancestors.
In an apparent reference to the Kilus faction, Kazenambo said: “He (Keharanjo II Nguvauva) was naturally a caring person who could not harbour hatred of wanting to see anybody being hurt. He treated his opponents with respect as he regarded them as people harbouring contrary views to those of his, but not necessarily anything else other than that.”
According to Kazenambo, Keharanjo Nguvauva’s “friendliness and most liberal way of doing things sometimes made him vulnerable to fall into risky areas. As a down-to-earth, grassroots-orientated person, sometimes at some occasions, he dined and wined (really enjoying himself) without caring an iota in the company of people whom you may consider as his first-class enemies or people who may be regarded not as of his academic or social status…”
In his three-page suicide note, Keharanjo II Nguvauva attributed the reason for ending his life to a recurring problem with alcohol.
At 04h00 this morning, the hearse with Keharanjo II Nguvauva’s body was expected to leave for Otjijarua in the Otjombinde constituency in the Omaheke Region for another memorial service which starts at 14h00 and is expected to take place until ‘late’.
The visit to the Omaheke Region was a request by his mother.
His body is scheduled to return to the capital tomorrow.
At about midnight on Thursday, mourners will accompany the body in the hearse to Opuwo where the funeral will take place on Saturday.
AllAfrica – All the Time