Also known as: Traditional Authorities Act · Traditional Authorities Act 25 of 2000
Verbatim sentences from the source article.
The Namibian
… Speaking last week, Mbaisako said the Traditional Authorities Act and customary laws are interpreted differently by every faction within traditional communities. …
Kaikhabe Daman chief calls for unity over rivalryThe Namibian
… He referred to Section 12 of the Traditional Authorities Act, saying the ministry first establishes the customary law of a community when handling succession disputes. …
Chieftaincy based on lineage, not politics – SankwasaThe Namibian
The Traditional Authorities Act allows for the removal of chiefs or heads of traditional communities from office by community members, provided there is sufficient reason and the process is in accordance with customary law. …
Communities can remove traditional leadersThe Namibian
… He alleges that the minister’s decision to recognise Shoombe, who is also his uncle, was “unlawful, irrational and procedurally unfair”, He accuses the ministry of bypassing procedures outlined in Section 12 of the Traditional Authorities Act. …
Uukolonkadhi chieftainship battle heads to High CourtWindhoek Observer
… He said the consultation in Otjiwarongo is part of a broader process to amend the Traditional Authorities Act and the Council of Traditional Leaders Act. …
Sankwasa warns of ‘mushrooming’ traditional chiefs …orders lineage proof to amend relevant actsNew Era
Auleria Wakudumo The Traditional Authorities Act is under the microscope, with key stakeholders determining amendments or refinements to the law that has united critics and proponents in almost equal measure. …
Traditional authorities in litmus testThe Namibian
… I am pleased to welcome you all to this crucial consultative workshop, which aims to review, amend, modernise and even overhaul the Traditional Authorities Act, 2000 (Act 25 of 2000), as agreed at the meeting held on 5 February 2026 in Windhoek. …
Minister Sankwasa James Sankwasa opens traditional authorities law workshop in OtjiwarongoThe Namibian
Minister of urban and rural development James Sankwasa says the current Traditional Authorities Act is out-of-date and misunderstood, causing division in Namibia. …
Traditional Authorities Act is dividing Namibia, says SankwasaNew Era
… In a letter dated 9 February 2026 and addressed to senior member of the traditional authority Karl Manfred Draghoender, Sankwasa confirmed that the designation was approved in terms of Section 5(2) of the Traditional Authorities Act. …
Basters' Kaptein Britz recognisedNew Era
… In Namibia, traditional leadership is formally recognised under the Traditional Authorities Act. …
Opinion – Traditional authorities should respect clans’ identityKaikhabe Daman Traditional Community chief Tuvemue Mbaisako has called for an end to long-standing divisions and conflicts over traditional leadership, saying personal ambitions and pride have clouded judgment and intensified disputes over decades. He urged communities to choose dialogue over division and reconciliation over resentment to enable development and peace.
14 July 2026 · The Namibian →
Kaikhabe Daman Traditional Community chief Tuvemue Mbaisako has called for an end to long-standing divisions and conflicts over traditional leadership, saying personal ambitions and pride have clouded judgment and intensified disputes over decades. He urged communities to choose dialogue over division and reconciliation over resentment to enable development and peace.
14 July 2026 · The Namibian →
Urban and rural development minister James Sankwasa warned that political party membership will not influence recognition of traditional leaders, stating chieftaincy applications must meet customary law and hereditary succession requirements. Applicants must demonstrate a clear line of hereditary succession linked to recognised royal families and succeed an established chief within their community.
4 July 2026 · The Namibian →
The Traditional Authorities Act allows community members to remove chiefs or heads from office if there is sufficient reason and the process follows customary law. This contradicts a recent statement by the minister of urban and rural development that chiefs can only be removed through royal family processes.
4 June 2026 · The Namibian →
Johannes Asino has filed an urgent application in the High Court of Namibia to challenge the minister of urban and rural development's January decision recognising Malakia Shoombe as the new chief of the Uukolonkadhi Traditional Authority, following the death of chief Daniel Shooya in October 2024. Asino claims he is the rightful successor, nominated by the late chief in 1996 and endorsed by the royal family, and alleges the minister's decision was unlawful and procedurally unfair.
19 May 2026 · The Namibian →
Minister of Urban and Rural Development James Sankwasa has expressed concern over what he calls a "mushrooming" of traditional chiefs across Namibia, with the number of recognised traditional authorities rising from 34 in 1998 to over 50 today. He has ordered traditional chiefs to prove their lineage to clarify jurisdictions and prevent overlap in the administration of communal land.
30 April 2026 · Windhoek Observer →
Namibia's Traditional Authorities Act and Council of Traditional Leaders Act are undergoing review to address growing concerns about splinter groups seeking independent recognition based on geography rather than shared ancestry and culture. Minister James Sankwasa said the current laws, in place for over two decades, must be reformed to distinguish between chiefs and community leaders and prevent the framework from being exploited for political purposes.
15 April 2026 · New Era →
Minister Sankwasa opened a consultative workshop in Otjiwarongo to review and amend the Traditional Authorities Act 2000 and the Council of Traditional Leaders Act 1997. The minister cited ongoing problems including leadership disputes, proliferation of communities seeking recognition, and the misuse of the Acts for political purposes rather than preserving traditions and cultures.
15 April 2026 · The Namibian →
Minister James Sankwasa said the current Traditional Authorities Act is outdated and misunderstood, leading to tribal splinter groups seeking separate recognition rather than maintaining cohesive traditional leadership structures. The government is proposing amendments to the act and holding a workshop with traditional leaders to gather input on governance and accountability reforms.
14 April 2026 · The Namibian →
Urban and Rural Development Minister James Sankwasa has officially approved Herbert George Jacky Britz's designation as Kaptein of the Rehoboth Baster Gemeente Traditional Community, ending a protracted leadership dispute that followed his election in 2021 and court challenges by a rival candidate. Britz said the recognition restores the community's dignity and strengthens its voice in national matters.
11 March 2026 · New Era →
An opinion piece argues that traditional authorities in Namibia have a constitutional and moral duty to preserve and respect the distinct identities of all clans within their communities, rather than suppress or marginalise them. The author contends that true unity requires acknowledgement of diversity, and that erasing clan identity undermines the legitimacy and moral foundation of traditional leadership.
27 February 2026 · New Era →
The Dâure Daman Traditional Authority says ministers lack the authority to remove and degazette traditional chiefs, arguing that removal must be initiated at community level before escalation to ministerial and presidential level as provided in the Traditional Authorities Act 25 of 2000. The authority supports former chief Sagarias Seibeb's court challenge against his removal last November, claiming the government did not follow proper procedure.
24 February 2026 · The Namibian →
Dâuredaman Chief Zacharias Seibeb has filed a review application at the High Court challenging his removal by President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah in November under the Traditional Authorities Act. Seibeb claims he remains the duly recognised chief and seeks to be re-gazetted, with the court ordering both parties to submit documents and affidavits by specified dates in coming months.
9 February 2026 · New Era →
A High Court judge has set aside the former minister of urban and rural development's appointment of Felix Mashika as chief of the Gciriku Traditional Authority in Kavango East, ruling that the minister failed to properly determine the community's customary law of succession. The court ordered the current minister to reconsider the designation within 90 days, ensuring a proper determination of the applicable customary law is made.
3 February 2026 · The Namibian →
Urban and rural development minister James Sankwasa approved Malakia Shoombe as chief of the Uukolonkadhi Traditional Authority in January 2026, but community members and family argue that Johannes Asino is the legitimate heir, citing a nomination and will from the late chief Daniel Shooya.
14 January 2026 · New Era →