Traditional leadership of Namibia

Traditional leadership of Namibia is a governing structure in Namibia based on the ethnicity of the indigenous people of the territory. Acceptance of a traditional authority is vested in the Government of Namibia. There are 51 recognised traditional authorities and a further 40 pending applications.^[1]

Traditional authorities cover the entire Namibian territory. Their leaders are entrusted with the allocation of communal land and the formulation of the traditional group's customary laws. They also take over minor judicial work. Leaders and their administrative staff are not paid by the state. Instead the traditional group's members are expected to sustain their leadership. Government did, however, give one car each to the recognised authorities, and awards allowances for fuel and administrative work. The parallel existence of traditional authorities and the Namibian government in Namibia is controversial.^[1]

Recognised traditional authorities

Traditional authority [1]	Locale	Current leader [1] and title
Mbunza		Alfons Kaundu
Sambyu		Angelina Matumbo Ribebe
Gciriku	Ndiyona Constituency of the Kavango Region	Hompa Kassain Shiyambi
Uukwangali	Nkurenkuru	Daniel Sitentu Mpasi
Mbukushu		Erwin Mbambo Munika
Ondonga	Ondangwa	Immanuel Elifas Kauluma
Uukwaluudhi	Tsandi	Josia Shikongo Taapopi
Ongandjera	Okahao	Johannes Jafet
Uukwambi	Elim	Iipumbu Herman Iipumbu
Ombalantu		Oswin Mukulu
Uukolonkandhi		Daniel Shooya
Oukwanyama	Ehole	Martha Kristian Nelumbu
Ombandja		Matias Walaula
Masubia	Bukalo, Zambezi Region	Kisco Liswani III
Mafwe	Chinchimane, Zambezi Region[2]	Gerge Simasiku Mamili
Mayeyi		Boniface Lutibezi Shufu
Mashi		Joseph Tembwe Mayuni
ǀGowanîn	across the Kalahari Desert	Gariseb Stefanus
ǀKhomanin	in the Khomas Highland	vacant
ǃOeǂGan	of the Erongo Mountains, Usakos, and Ameib	Immanuel ǂNu-axa
Tsoaxudaman	along the Swakop River	Betuel Haraseb
ǀGaiodaman	along the Omuramba Omatako between Outjo and the Waterberg	J M Haraseb
ǂAodaman	between Kamanjab, Outjo and Otavi	Ukongo Petrus
Dâuredaman	Brandberg and vicinity	Elias Taniseb
ǀKhowesin (Witbooi Nama)	Gibeon[3]	Christian Rooi (acting)
Bondelswart		vacant
Soromaas		David Fredericks

References

1. Tjitemisa, Kuzeeko (18 November 2016). "Chiefs cost govt millions". New Era. p. 6. The list of currently recognised traditional authorities only appears in the print version.
2. Tashaya, Clemence (5 July 2011). "Mafwe prepares to celebrate their annual "Lusata" cultural festival". New Era via allafrica.com. Archived from the original on 5 July 2011.
3. Dedering, Tilman (1997). Hate the old and follow the new: Khoekhoe and missionaries in early nineteenth-century Namibia. 2 (Missionsgeschichtliches Archiv ed.). Franz Steiner Verlag. pp. 59–61. ISBN 978-3-515-06872-7. Retrieved 24 November 2016.