The Dâure Daman community at Uis in the Erongo Region raised grievances at a meeting on Tuesday about their traditional authority leader, Gaob Zagarias Seibeb, for alleged violations of customary laws and is calling for his removal.

During the meeting, the community members accused the Gaob and his councillors of giving away the area's natural resources to Chinese companies and reaping personal benefits from these deals while the community continues to struggle with poverty.

Therefore, the community members demanded that the office stamp and keys be handed over to them so that they could elect a leader of their choice.

The community spokesperson, Cornelia Atjiwara, said their main concern is the lack of development at |Uis since the chief's coronation in 2018.

She said that the settlement has seen no infrastructural or economic development, despite mineral wealth and huge deposits of lithium and tin. 

She attributed the widespread poverty in the community to the chief's leadership and governance. 

|Uis, being a settlement in Namibia, faces unique challenges related to its remote location, access to resources, and a lack of investment.

The community feels that their chief has failed to fulfil his role in advancing their collective well-being.

Gaob Seibeb left the community meeting before it was concluded. This came after the community members expressed their concerns over the lack of development at the settlement because of the alleged lack of leadership shown by the chief.
Seibeb, in his response, said that he was going to respond in two days.

The Dâure Daman community has vowed to remain camped outside the premises of the traditional authority until the Gaob hands over the keys to the office and the official stamp.

The concerned group was forcefully removed by the police on Monday after the chief obtained a court order for their eviction from the premises of the traditional office.

They further said that they would not vacate the premises until the charges against community activist Jimmy ||Areseb and 27 other people were dropped.