Keharanjo Nguvauva

Keharanjo II Xavier Komavau Nguvauva
The late Paramount Chief of Ovambanderu
Born	12 October 1984 Gobabis
Died	8 April 2011 (aged 26) Khomasdal, Windhoek, Namibia
Burial	23 April 2011 at Ongango near Opuwo in the Kunene Region.
Full name Keharanjo II Xavier Komavu Nguvauva
House	Ovambanderu
Father	Munjuku Nguvauva II
Mother	Aletta Karikondua Nguvauva

Keharanjo II Xavier Komavau Nguvauva (12 October 1984 – 8 April 2011) was the youngest Chief of the Ovambanderu, a Herero clan in Namibia. Keharanjo was the born to royal Ovambanderu family to the then Chief Munjuku Nguvauva II and his wife Aletta Karikondua Nguvauva.^[1] He was reported dead on the evening of Friday 8 April 2011 in the residential area of Khomasdal, Windhoek where he committed suicide using an electric wire.^[2]

Keharanjo just like an ordinary Mbanderu young boy spent his early years tending his father’s livestock at Ezorongondo, Omaheke Region. In 1988, his father took him to Ondauha in Botswana, about 180 kilometres (110 mi) from Maun, to the grave of Keharanjo’s grandfather, Chief Keharanjo I Nguvauva. There he was introduced to the Mbanderu community as a future chief. Nguvauva was then taken to the house of Chief Mathiba Moremi of Batawana, for him to be groomed to be a leader. He was also left in the care of Manuel Nguvauva, brother to Kilus Nguvauva and half-brother to Keharanjo.^[1]

Keharanjo began primary school in Botswana. He passed primary and moved on to Sepopa CJSS for his Junior Certificate until he completed his Form Five from Maun Senior Secondary School. Keharanjo graduated with an LLB from the University of Western Cape in Cape Town, South Africa in 2010. He was employed as a legal advisor in the Namibian Ministry of Justice.^[1]

He was in tussle fight of succeeding his father, the late Munjuku Nguvauva II, with his half brother Kilus Nguvauva who is currently Deputy Minister of Mines and Energy. The succession dispute amongst the two half brothers caused division in the Ovambanderu community. The Namibian government once issued an investigation into the succession disagreement between the two half brothers which and concluded that Keharanjo is the rightful and legitimate heir to the throne.^[3]

After Keharanjo's suicide the succession battle reignited, this time between Kilus Nguvauva and Aletha Nguvauva who was crowned queen by one of the OvaMbanderu faction. Only late in 2014 was a decision reached when government decided not to appeal a High Court decision in favor of Kilus Nguvauva.^[4]

References

1. Ndjoze, Nicanor (14 April 2011). "Tribute to Chief Keharanjo II Nguvauva". New Era. Archived from the original on 19 February 2013.
2. Hofmann (Paramount Chief), Eberhard (11 April 2011). "Nguvauva wählt den Freitod" [Nguvauva commits suicide]. Allgemeine Zeitung (in German).
3. "Keharanjo group hits back at Kilus in Ovambanderu dispute". The Namibian. 8 January 2010.
4. "Government makes U-turn in Ovambanderu appeal". New Era. 17 October 2014.