Ovaherero Traditional Authority

Traditional authority of the Ovaherero people, currently split between rival factions disputing paramount chieftaincy succession and challenging the Namibia-Germany genocide reparations declaration.

2022-10-292026-08-21

What’s been said

Key points drawn from coverage. Tap a point to see the original sentence.

January 2025
18 JanThe Namibian
Ovaherero Traditional Authority continues to oppose the way German and Namibian governments handle negotiations
Source
“The association, along with the Ovaherero Traditional Authority, continues to oppose the way the German and Namibian governments are handling negotiations.”
Nama Traditional Association rejects agreement on 1904-1908 genocide reparations
November 2022
18 NovThe Namibian
Ovaherero Traditional Authority intervened to claim negotiations violated 2006 National Assembly resolution
Source
“Keul's announcement triggered a combined intervention by Landless People's Movement president Bernadus Swartbooi, the Ovaherero Traditional Authority, and the Nama Traditional Leaders Association on 13 September.”
Namibian-German Genocide Negotiations – Is the Master's Voice Speaking?

Politics

Kapuuo faction rejects Katjiua's genocide negotiation claims

The News

The Ovaherero Traditional Authority faction led by chief Vipuira Kapuuo has rejected assertions by chief Mutjinde Katjiua's rival faction regarding genocide negotiations, reaffirming that the OTA's official stance on the proposed Joint Declaration on Genocide between Namibia and Germany remains unchanged and that any representation on a joint declaration committee would not be official.

18 August 2026 · The Namibian →

Tuesday 18 August

Kapuuo faction rejects Katjiua's genocide negotiation claims
The Ovaherero Traditional Authority faction led by chief Vipuira Kapuuo has rejected assertions by chief Mutjinde Katjiua's rival faction regarding genocide negotiations, reaffirming that the OTA's official stance on the proposed Joint Declaration on Genocide between Namibia and Germany remains unchanged and that any representation on a joint declaration committee would not be official.
18 August 2026 · The Namibian →

Monday 17 August

Ovaherero Traditional Authority rejects proposal to abolish paramount chieftaincy
The Ovaherero Traditional Authority has rejected calls to abolish the paramount chieftaincy amid an ongoing leadership dispute between rival factions over succession following the 2021 death of paramount chief Vekuii Rukoro. The matter is currently in the High Court, with competing factions supporting different candidates and legal costs reaching an estimated N$10 million.
17 August 2026 · The Namibian →

Wednesday 12 August

Amnesty International seeks to join genocide reparations legal challenge
Amnesty International has filed to participate as amicus curiae in a High Court review case challenging the Namibia-Germany Joint Declaration on the 1904-1908 genocide. The applicants, led by Bernadus Swartbooi, the Landless People's Movement, and the Ovaherero Traditional Authority, argue the declaration was improperly handled by Parliament and violates the Constitution and international law.
12 August 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
Amnesty International joins court challenge to genocide reparations agreement
Amnesty International has filed court papers seeking to join litigation against a Joint Declaration between Namibian and German governments that would offer €1.1 billion in reparations for the 1904 and 1908 Nama/Ovaherero genocide, according to the Ovaherero Traditional Authority. The agreement, expected to be signed before year-end, is being challenged by traditional authorities and the Landless People's Movement who argue the compensation falls short of demands.
12 August 2026 · Informanté →

Tuesday 11 August

Ovaherero authority rejects genocide declaration, vows continued legal fight
The Ovaherero Traditional Authority has maintained its rejection of the Namibia-Germany joint declaration on the 1904-08 genocide, accusing the governments of excluding descendants of victims from negotiations. The OTA, alongside the Landless People's Movement and Nama Traditional Leaders Association, has taken the matter to the High Court.
11 August 2026 · The Namibian →

Tuesday 4 August

Nudo SG faces party probe for joining genocide negotiations committee
Nudo secretary general Joseph Uapingene is to appear before a party committee after joining the government's genocide negotiations committee without party approval. Nudo maintains it did not nominate him and says he joined through his role in the Ovaherero Traditional Authority faction, leaving him to choose between his party position and the genocide committee role.
4 August 2026 · The Namibian →

Monday 27 July

Ovaherero Traditional Authority insists unity despite rival chiefs
The Ovaherero Traditional Authority, which currently has two paramount chiefs both claiming legitimacy, insists its people remain united despite factional divisions. OTA officials said at Red Flag Day commemorations that internal skirmishes do not constitute division, and framed the remembrance as collective memory tied to the 1904–1908 genocide and ongoing pursuit of reparations.
27 July 2026 · The Namibian →

Wednesday 17 June

Minister warns of attempts to undermine traditional authorities
Minister of Urban and Rural Development James Sankwasa has raised alarm over what he described as "underground capture" of Namibia's traditional authorities, warning that certain individuals are attempting to destabilise customary leadership structures. He stressed that recognition of traditional leaders will follow customary laws and cultural practices, and cautioned against what he termed the "over-democratisation" of traditional authorities.
17 June 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Thursday 4 June

Namibia marks second Genocide Remembrance Day with calls for justice
Namibia observed its second Genocide Remembrance Day to reflect on the 1904–1908 genocide against the Ovaherero, Nama, Damara, and ≠Nkhoen San peoples. The commemoration emphasises the need for truth-telling, restorative justice, and Germany's full acknowledgment of responsibility for the genocide.
4 June 2026 · The Namibian →

Monday 18 May

Ovaherero paramount chief dispute remains unresolved in court
Four years after being brought to the High Court in 2022, the battle over the Paramount Chief position of the Ovaherero remains unsettled. Ovitoto chief Vipuira Kapuuo, chairman of the Ovaherero Traditional Authority's Chiefs' Council, contends that customary law dictates the council chairman becomes acting paramount chief upon the death of the incumbent; he is seeking a court order to declare himself acting paramount chief and to nullify a December 2021 meeting where academic Mutjinde Katjiua was elected paramount chief.
18 May 2026 · New Era →

Friday 8 May

Ovaherero chieftaincy dispute legal costs reach N$10 million
Legal costs in the dispute over the Ovaherero Traditional Authority paramount chieftaincy have reached an estimated N$10 million. Chief Vipuira Kapuuo continues his court challenge against professor Mutjinde Katjiua's claim to the position, arguing that as chairperson of the Chief's Council he is the rightful acting paramount chief and that a council meeting held in December 2021 that endorsed Katjiua was unlawful.
8 May 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Tuesday 17 March

Windhoek encourages cremation as five cemeteries reach capacity
The City of Windhoek, which records approximately 960 burials annually, says five of its seven cemeteries are at full capacity and is urging residents to consider cremation as an alternative. The municipality is exploring measures including second interments and developing a new cemetery at Rocky Crest, though some residents and cultural groups have raised concerns about land allocation and religious objections to cremation.
17 March 2026 · The Namibian →

Tuesday 10 March

Presidency denies Riruako State House visit recognition as paramount chief
The Presidency clarified that Hoze Riruako's meeting with President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah should not be interpreted as recognition of him as paramount chief of the OvaHerero Traditional Authority, saying the matter remains before the courts and the executive cannot decide issues under judicial adjudication. The traditional authority has been disputed between Riruako's and Mutjinde Katjiua's factions.
10 March 2026 · The Namibian →

Saturday 7 March

President discusses land, genocide reparations with Ovaherero chief
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah met with Hoze Riruako of the Ovaherero Traditional Authority to discuss land, genocide reparations, and community concerns. Riruako described the engagement as constructive and emphasized the importance of continued dialogue on historical issues.
7 March 2026 · Informanté →

Friday 6 March

Ovaherero leadership presses government on land, genocide reparations
The Ovaherero Traditional Authority faction led by Hoze Riruako met President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah to advocate for quota-based land allocation for historically dispossessed communities, restitution of ancestral land rights, and renewed negotiations with Germany over 1904–1908 genocide reparations. Riruako said the Ovaherero community wants these issues addressed through Namibia's own development policies rather than relying solely on German compensation, and urged the government to formally recognize early liberation fighters and traditional leaders.
6 March 2026 · New Era →
Riruako urges government to allocate land to Ovaherero now
Ovaherero Traditional Authority chief Hoze Riruako has called on the government to allocate unoccupied land to the Herero population rather than wait for genocide reparation negotiations to conclude, clarifying that the initiative does not aim to reclaim legally acquired private land.
6 March 2026 · The Namibian →

Wednesday 21 January

Traditional leaders serve rural areas from Windhoek despite legal residency rules
Several Namibian traditional leaders, including chiefs and headmen, are governing their rural communities while residing in Windhoek, contrary to the Traditional Authorities Act No. 25 of 2000, which requires them to live within their communal areas. They justify this practice by citing the effectiveness of deputies and local committees, though legal scholars note such violations may warrant removal from office.
21 January 2026 · The Namibian →