By Simon Liseli
THOUSANDS of the Mafwe tribe celebrated their annual Lusata cultural festival on Sunday October 3, 2010 at Chinchimane some 68 kilometres south of Caprivi.
The 2010 Lusata festival brought all the Mafwe sons and daughters together in show casing their unified cultural groups with entertainments.
Representing the government was Mr. Nahas Angula , Prime Minister of the Republic of Namibia, Deputy Minister of Information and Communication Technology Mr.Stanly Mutumba Simataa, Deputy Minister of Environment and Tourism Mr. Uahekua Herunga and Chief Chika of the Masubia tribe and his delegation from Botswana.
Caprivi Regional Governor Mr. Leonard Mwilima , District Commissioner from the Republic of Zambia at Sesheke, Mr. Wamunyima wa Nyambe Mwiya , representatives from the Ovambanderu Traditional Authority and other senior government and NGO officials also attended the festival.
New Ngambela (Premier) of the Mafwe Traditional Authority , Mr. Patrick Likukela was officially anointed to his people by the former Chief Richard Temuso Muhinda Mamili VI . Ngambela Likukela accepted his position as the new Ngambela taking powers from his predecessor Mr. Society Limbo Shozi who relinquished his seat due to his long illness.
Ngambela Likukela saluted the Mafwe people for having stayed focused and united under the leadership of his Royal Chief George Simasiku Mamili VII. In his statement read on his behalf, he promised his subjects that he will soon going to start with the identification and implementation of developmental projects especially in the agricultural sector, manufacturing and services sectors in a view of eradicating unemployment, inequality and poverty to all his people.
The new appointed Ngambela is planning to set up representative traditional structures to administer traditional matters at village and district levels in all areas under the jurisdiction of the Mafwe Traditional Authority.
Ngambela Likukela assured District Indunas that he would soon be visiting their areas to see where and how they could discuss strengthening their khutas.
“I am fully aware that some of your areas are being claimed by other people as areas belonging to them! This includes the Mashi area where I come from and these matters must be resolved sooner than later as they have the potential to destabilise the peace we are enjoying so far” quoted from his speech.
In terms of the Mafwe culture , land that falls under the jurisdiction of a certain traditional authority by virtue of the people owning that land their allegiance are owing to such a traditional authority.
The new Ngambela is also concerned with the Western Caprivi issue, suddenly 200 km stretch of Divundu-Kongola 110 km of it was cut and its now part of the Kavango region and the Caprivi region is now starts at 90 km mark to Kongola.
The Ngambela is planning to address this matter to the government with the hope that amicable and lasting solution will be found.
Ngambela called upon all the Mafwe people to stand united in purpose and make meaningful contribution to their development in particular and in the country in general. He also called on all people to be responsible citizens who think of work and not just drinking, smoking dangerous substances and unprotected sex, which could lead to the contraction of sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV and AIDS.
At the same occasion, the prime minister of the Republic of Namibia honourable Nahas Angula welcomed the new Ngambela of the Mafwe Traditional Authority to his position appointed to. Angula praised Chief Mamili VII for appointing Mr Patrick Likukela as his Ngambela, that symbolise unite among the Mafwe People.
“I remember the other time when I visited this place and there was flood I found chief Mamili with his people working and he was using his old tractor, they were trying to make furrows so that water pass through I got surprised, that is a very good example Chief Mamili is always on front of his people but if it was others they could wait for the government to help them and with them they did it using his own tractor” Said Angula.
“I listened to the acceptance speech from the new Ngambela Mr Likukela he mentioned important things such as identifying and implementing developmental projects in order to reduce unemployment that is a good initiative not to wait only to the government to employ people, it’s good to start with projects to reduce our unemployment rate. He also talked of HIV/AIDS the pandemic disease that is killing people those are very Important issues take note of them” he further.
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