Namibia: Vice President Calls On Traditional Leaders to Work Together for Unity and Nation-Building

Vice president Lucia Witbooi says traditional leaders must work together to promote unity and nation-building among their tribespeople. She addressed this during the annual Batshara Cultural Festival at Sangwali in the Zambezi region, under the theme 'Our Rivers, Our Life, Our Heritage'. Witbooi emphasized that traditional authorities have significant influence over their communities and must collaborate to foster harmony and peace. She urged traditional leaders to prioritize unity, nation-building, and reconciliation, encouraging mutual visits and consultations on development matters. Witbooi highlighted the government’s desire for all traditional authorities to adopt a path of harmony and peace. She stressed that unity among citizens is essential to counter divisive elements like tribalism, regionalism, and racism, affirming Namibia’s identity as one nation. Additionally, she praised the attendance of traditional leaders from within and outside the region, noting it promotes unity and peace within Namibia and the Southern African Development Community. Witbooi called on Namibians to embrace their cultures and traditions to better understand each other, emphasizing that cultural unity can help overcome political, social, and economic challenges. She urged collective action through culture to solve problems and move forward as a united nation.