The seven traditional authorities that constitute the Okandjoze Chief Assembly said they will not accept a joint declaration between the Namibian and German governments regarding the reparations for the genocide, though the negotiations are still on.

They also plan to boycott the upcoming joint declaration roadshow in the region.

In a media statement released this week, the Chief Assembly of the Okandjoze and its technical committee say they are not pleased with the alleged concealment of activities around the genocide negotiations.

They say the joint declaration has also been rejected by a broad spectrum of the descendants of the genocide survivors, supported by the international communities.

The Okandjoze Chief Assembly claimed that it did not receive any brief on what the joint declaration entails, nor are they privy to the bilateral cooperation mechanism in place between the two governments since independence.

It says the Joint Declaration cannot constitute a substitute for Germany's acknowledgement of and clear apology for the genocide committed against their forefathers, hence the need to go back to the drawing board.

The Deputy Secretary of Information and Public Relations of the Ovaherero, Ovambanderu, and Nama Council for Dialogue, John Kasaona, stressed that negotiations have not been finalised and no breakthrough has been reached to date.

He said the government technical committee is providing feedback to the affected communities in all the regions and on what to expect from further negotiations.

Kasaona appealed to the affected communities to join the roadshows on the negotiations of the Joint Declaration, which have already started to get first-hand information.