Ben Ulenga
Encyclopedia
Benjamin Ulenga is a Namibia
n politician. A member of the National Assembly of Namibia
, he is the President of the Congress of Democrats
(CoD), an opposition political party.
Ulenga, born in Ontanga, Oshana Region, played an influential role in the independence struggle of Namibia against South Africa
n apartheid rule. He joined the People's Liberation Army of Namibia
in 1974 but was later captured after being wounded in combat and sentenced to 15 years in prison, which he spent on Robben Island
. He was released in 1985.
Immediately prior to independence, he was a SWAPO member of the Constituent Assembly, which was in place from November 1989 to March 1990. After independence, he was a SWAPO member of the National Assembly
from 1990 to 1996, and he was Deputy Minister of Wildlife, Conservation and Tourism from 1991 to 1995 before becoming Deputy Minister of Regional and Local Government and Housing in 1995. He was later appointed as Namibia's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom
, but in August 1998 he resigned from that post to protest plans to amend the constitution so that President Sam Nujoma
could run for a third term; in addition, he expressed dissatisfaction with Namibia's military presence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
during that country's civil war
. He initially said that he would remain a member of SWAPO, but he subsequently left SWAPO and founded the opposition CoD in March 1999. He was the CoD candidate in the 1999 presidential election
, placing second behind Nujoma and receiving 10.5% of the vote. He was also elected to the National Assembly as a CoD candidate in the 1999 parliamentary election.
At a CoD congress, Ulenga was re-elected as President of the CoD on August 1, 2004; he was also chosen as the party's candidate for the November 2004 presidential election. In this election, he placed second with 7.28% of the vote, far behind SWAPO candidate Hifikepunye Pohamba
. In the concurrent 2004 parliamentary election
, he was re-elected to the National Assembly.
At an extraordinary party congress held in Keetmanshoop
in May 2008, Ulenga was re-elected as CoD President; he defeated Ignatius Shixwameni
by 14 votes, and Shixwameni, rejecting the outcome, left the congress in protest along with about half of the delegates. Shixwameni alleged rigging and claimed that his CoD faction represented the majority of the party; his faction went to the High Court to press these claims. In July 2008, the High Court ruled in favor of the Shixwameni faction, nullifying the May 2007 congress. Ulenga accepted this decision.
In the 2009 general election, Ulenga's support dropped significantly and he received 5,812 votes (.72%), which placed him in 9th place out of 12 candidates for President. This represented more than 50,000 fewer votes than he had received when he finished second to Pohamba in the 2004 campaign. Similarly, CoD lost four of five members of the National Assembly. Ulenga, however, was re-elected.
Namibia
Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia , is a country in southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. It gained independence from South Africa on 21 March...
n politician. A member of the National Assembly of Namibia
National Assembly of Namibia
The National Assembly of Namibia is the lower chamber of the country's bicameral Parliament. It has a total of 78 members. 72 members are directly elected through a system of party-list proportional representation and serve five-year terms. Six additional members are appointed by the President.The...
, he is the President of the Congress of Democrats
Congress of Democrats
The Congress of Democrats is a political party in Namibia, led by Ben Ulenga. It is an opposition party represented in the National Assembly.The party is an observer of the Socialist International.- 2004 elections :...
(CoD), an opposition political party.
Ulenga, born in Ontanga, Oshana Region, played an influential role in the independence struggle of Namibia against South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n apartheid rule. He joined the People's Liberation Army of Namibia
People's Liberation Army of Namibia
The People's Liberation Army of Namibia was the active military wing of the South West Africa People's Organization during the Namibian War of Independence. It sought independence for the territory from South African rule. PLAN launched its first attack on the South African military at...
in 1974 but was later captured after being wounded in combat and sentenced to 15 years in prison, which he spent on Robben Island
Robben Island
Robben Island is an island in Table Bay, 6.9 km west of the coast of Bloubergstrand, Cape Town, South Africa. The name is Dutch for "seal island". Robben Island is roughly oval in shape, 3.3 km long north-south, and 1.9 km wide, with an area of 5.07 km². It is flat and only a...
. He was released in 1985.
Immediately prior to independence, he was a SWAPO member of the Constituent Assembly, which was in place from November 1989 to March 1990. After independence, he was a SWAPO member of the National Assembly
National Assembly of Namibia
The National Assembly of Namibia is the lower chamber of the country's bicameral Parliament. It has a total of 78 members. 72 members are directly elected through a system of party-list proportional representation and serve five-year terms. Six additional members are appointed by the President.The...
from 1990 to 1996, and he was Deputy Minister of Wildlife, Conservation and Tourism from 1991 to 1995 before becoming Deputy Minister of Regional and Local Government and Housing in 1995. He was later appointed as Namibia's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, but in August 1998 he resigned from that post to protest plans to amend the constitution so that President Sam Nujoma
Sam Nujoma
Samuel Daniel Shafiishuna Nujoma is a Namibian politician who was the first President of Namibia from 1990 to 2005. He led the South-West Africa People's Organisation in its long struggle against South African rule and took office as President when Namibia obtained independence on 21 March 1990...
could run for a third term; in addition, he expressed dissatisfaction with Namibia's military presence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a state located in Central Africa. It is the second largest country in Africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world...
during that country's civil war
Second Congo War
The Second Congo War, also known as Coltan War and the Great War of Africa, began in August 1998 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo , and officially ended in July 2003 when the Transitional Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo took power; however, hostilities continue to this...
. He initially said that he would remain a member of SWAPO, but he subsequently left SWAPO and founded the opposition CoD in March 1999. He was the CoD candidate in the 1999 presidential election
Namibian presidential election, 1999
General elections were held in Namibia on 30 November and 1 December 1999 to elect a president and the National Assembly. Both votes were won by SWAPO, whose candidate, Sam Nujoma, was re-elected with over 76% of the vote.-Presidential election:...
, placing second behind Nujoma and receiving 10.5% of the vote. He was also elected to the National Assembly as a CoD candidate in the 1999 parliamentary election.
At a CoD congress, Ulenga was re-elected as President of the CoD on August 1, 2004; he was also chosen as the party's candidate for the November 2004 presidential election. In this election, he placed second with 7.28% of the vote, far behind SWAPO candidate Hifikepunye Pohamba
Hifikepunye Pohamba
Hifikepunye Lucas Pohamba is the second and current President of Namibia. He won the 2004 and 2009 presidential elections overwhelmingly as the candidate of the South West Africa People's Organisation ruling party, taking office in March 2005. He has also been the President of SWAPO since...
. In the concurrent 2004 parliamentary election
Namibian parliamentary election, 2004
General elections were held in Namibia on 15 and 16 November 2004 to elect the President and National Assembly. The National Assembly election resulted in a landslide win for SWAPO, which won 55 of the 78 seats with over 75% of the vote. SWAPO's candidate for president, Hifikepunye Pohamba, won the...
, he was re-elected to the National Assembly.
At an extraordinary party congress held in Keetmanshoop
Keetmanshoop
Keetmanshoop is a city in Karas Region, southern Namibia, lying on the Trans-Namib Railway from Windhoek to Upington in South Africa. It is named after Johann Keetman, a German industrialist and founder of the city....
in May 2008, Ulenga was re-elected as CoD President; he defeated Ignatius Shixwameni
Ignatius Shixwameni
Ignatius Nkotongo Shixwameni is a Namibian politician. He is the leader of the All People's Party.-Early life and education:...
by 14 votes, and Shixwameni, rejecting the outcome, left the congress in protest along with about half of the delegates. Shixwameni alleged rigging and claimed that his CoD faction represented the majority of the party; his faction went to the High Court to press these claims. In July 2008, the High Court ruled in favor of the Shixwameni faction, nullifying the May 2007 congress. Ulenga accepted this decision.
In the 2009 general election, Ulenga's support dropped significantly and he received 5,812 votes (.72%), which placed him in 9th place out of 12 candidates for President. This represented more than 50,000 fewer votes than he had received when he finished second to Pohamba in the 2004 campaign. Similarly, CoD lost four of five members of the National Assembly. Ulenga, however, was re-elected.