Kahimemua_Nguvauva
Kahimemua Nguvauva
Former Ovambanderu leader and chief
Kahimemua Nguvauva (c. 1850 – 11 June 1896) was chief of the Ovambanderu, a Herero clan in Namibia (then German South West Africa).
Nguvauva was born at Musorakuumba, a settlement near Okahandja, and became chief of the Mbanderu in 1880, succeeding his father Munjuku Nguvauva.[1][2] During his chieftaincy, Nguvauva was involved in constant hostilities with fellow Herero chiefs. He also was an outspoken opponent of the encroaching settlers of Imperial Germany. The Germans supported Samuel Maharero to become Paramount Chief, and when his competitors, among them Nguvauva, did not accept this, they were stripped of their chieftaincy.[3] Nguvauva's resistance eventually led to skirmishes with the German Schutztruppe, the protection force deployed in the colony. He sent his son Hiatuvao Nguvauva with several followers to Ngamiland (part of present-day Botswana), starting an exodus of Ovaherero from South West Africa to Botswana that only ended after the Herero and Namaqua Genocide of 1904—1907.[3]
In May 1896 in the Battle of Sturmfeld, Nguvauva was wounded[4] and surrendered. Accused of organising the uprising against the Germans he was sentenced to death and executed in Okahandja. Sources place the day of execution on June 11, 12, or 13. His tombstone puts the date of death on 11 June 1896.[5]