The gazetting of Gilbert Muhongo Mutwa Moraliswani III on the 15th of July by President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah as the Simwine for the Masubia people brings an end to the long succession debate.
Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare made this statement during his keynote address at the Masubia annual cultural festival in Bukalo village in the Zambezi Region.
The succession debate has been ongoing since 2021, and Dr. Ngurare called on the Masubia people to rally behind their chief.
Dr. Ngurare underscored the importance of culture and traditions in the formation of a national community, as social behaviour and norms shape national identity through knowledge, beliefs, art, customs, and laws.
He said Namibians must be proud of their priceless cultural heritage.
"We should wholeheartedly applaud our elders for inculcating in us those cultural customs and norms that have shaped and moulded us into who we are today. Strong and proud, as communities are brought together by norms, customs, and moral values. We must equally applaud the young ones, the roaring lions that I see here today, who really accepted and followed our traditions, customs, and norms as taught to us by the elders. We must never allow that strong traditional bond to be broken."
According to the Premier, platforms such as the Masubia cultural festival and others help preserve, safeguard, and pass on cultural heritage not taught in schools to succeeding generations.
"Today we are proud as Namibians, a united nation in diversity, singing and reciting our hymns passed on to us from generations long gone to the land of no return, but not forgotten. There is absolutely nothing shameful about our cultural heritage; we should never be made to hate and despise our customs, norms, and moral values; we should cherish them with pride and honour. Here in the Zambezi Region, for example, let us encourage the children of the Mashi, the Mayeyi, the Mafwe, and the Masubia traditional authorities to be more proud of this rich cultural heritage as opposed to embracing the cultural heritage of our former colonisers."
The Minister of Urban and Rural Development, James Sankwasa, praised the peace and unity of the four traditional authorities in the Zambezi Region.
Sankwasa pleaded with the new Masubia chief to unite his subjects and be the custodian of the traditions, norms, and values of all the Masubia people.
"Your royal highness, there are people who will have dissenting views; there are people who will be opposing your judgements; there are people who will be looking at you in a personal capacity, not in the official capacity; they will reject your decisions. However, leadership has a price; the first price is rejection and criticism. Therefore, the leader has no time to hold grudges against the subjects."
The Masubia community celebrated their annual cultural festival after six years due to COVID-19 as well as the death of their late chief, Kisco Liswani III.