WINDHOEK: Chairperson of the Council of Traditional Leaders in Namibia , Gaob Immanuel | Gaseb has called on Namibians , especially members of royal families , to respect customary laws and resolve succession disputes according to these laws . Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 25th Annual Meeting of the Council of Traditional Leaders in Windhoek on Monday , | Gaseb said disputes must be resolved according to customary laws and traditions , rather than through the courts of common law . ‘ Such disputes can leave traditional authorities without leadership and disrupt their administration ,’ he said . The chairperson said the council acknowledged the ongoing legal challenges surrounding chieftainship succession , noting that the issues are crucial and the council trusts that the government will continue to develop effective strategies to address these challenges . He further called upon traditional leaders to desist from opposing land allocations for agricultural projects aimed at tackling food insecurity
, poverty and unemployment , and to rather continue encouraging communities to engage in food security initiatives and enhance agriculture practices . | Gaseb further called upon traditional leaders to ensure that drought relief food is distributed responsibly and used for household consumption instead of being traded for alcohol . He equally called upon the Office of the Prime Minister to review the food distribution process to ensure equal allocation , especially for households with a high number of dependents . He further noted that challenges faced by traditional authorities include water and sanitation , and lack of infrastructure such as boreholes and water pipelines . Another major challenge is human – wildlife conflict , particularly in the Kavango regions where crocodiles and hippo attacks have resulted in the loss of many lives . ‘ Wildlife continues to destroy our crops and causes serious challenges for our communities . It is imperative that the Ministry of Environment , Forestry and Tourism devel
ops and implements an emergency response unit to address this crisis ,’ he said . The five – day Annual Meeting of the Council of Traditional Leaders ends Friday . (

Source: The Namibia News Agency