Henk Mudge
Encyclopedia
Henk Mudge is a Namibia
n former politician. He is the former President of the Republican Party
and formerly the party's only member in the National Assembly
. He was replaced in the National Assembly by Clara Gowases
.
Mudge, a White Namibian
, was born in Otjiwarongo
, Otjozondjupa; he is the son of Republican Party founder Dirk Mudge
. The younger Mudge was a founding member of the Republican Party in 1977; the party joined the Democratic Turnhalle Alliance (DTA) in the same year, and Mudge held a seat on the Khomas Regional Council from 1992 to 2003 as a member of the DTA, representing Windhoek West constituency. In mid-2003 Mudge launched an effort to revive the Republican Party as an independent organization, and he resigned from the Regional Council on June 30, 2003. DTA President Katuutire Kaura
denounced Mudge's move to separate the Republican Party from the DTA, saying that Mudge acted unilaterally and illegally, and he said that Mudge had "expelled himself" from the DTA through his actions. Kaura claimed that Mudge wanted to create a party solely for "previously advantaged" minority Namibians. Mudge has been the President of the Republican Party, as well as a member of its National Executive Committee, since 2003.
In the November 2004 parliamentary election
, he was elected to the National Assembly; he also stood as the Republican Party's candidate in the presidential election, receiving 1.95% of the vote.
In the November 2009 parliamentary election, Mudge was re-elected to the National Assembly as the party's only representative. In the concurrent presidential election, Mudge received 1.16% of the vote, placing seventh out of 12 candidates.
In September 2010, Mudge and eight other opposition politicians were sworn-in as members of the National Assembly following a six month boycott due to electoral irregularities in the 2009 election.
In March 2011, Mudge resigned as both a member of the National Assembly and as the President of the Republican Party. The party appointed Clara Gowases
, who was ranked 2nd on the party's electoral list in the 2009 election, to replace him.
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 former politician. He is the former President of the Republican Party
Republican Party (Namibia)
The Republican Party was a political party in Namibia, based among the white minority. Henk Mudge is its President and its sole representative in the National Assembly. Prior to the 2004 parliamentary election, the Republican Party was part of the Democratic Turnhalle Alliance . It was revived as...
and formerly the party's only member in 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...
. He was replaced in the National Assembly by Clara Gowases
Clara Gowases
Clara Gowases is a Namibian teacher and politician. Gowases was elected the chairperson of the Republic Party in September 2009 and subsequently listed second on the party's electoral list for the 2009 general election. Gowases missed out on being elected to the NA as the party only won a single...
.
Mudge, a White Namibian
Whites in Namibia
White Namibians are people of European or Southern African birth or descent living in Namibia. Most white Namibians are Afrikaners, while some are descended from German, Portuguese, or English immigrants.- Distribution :...
, was born in Otjiwarongo
Otjiwarongo
Otjiwarongo is a city of 20,000 inhabitants in the Otjozondjupa Region of Namibia. It is the district capital of the Otjiwarongo electoral constituency and also the capital of Otjozondjupa....
, Otjozondjupa; he is the son of Republican Party founder Dirk Mudge
Dirk Mudge
Dirk Frederik Mudge is a Namibian farmer and former politician. He was a member of the Constituent Assembly and first National Assembly from 1989-1994. He broke with the National Party and sided with the Democratic Turnhalle Alliance of Namibia...
. The younger Mudge was a founding member of the Republican Party in 1977; the party joined the Democratic Turnhalle Alliance (DTA) in the same year, and Mudge held a seat on the Khomas Regional Council from 1992 to 2003 as a member of the DTA, representing Windhoek West constituency. In mid-2003 Mudge launched an effort to revive the Republican Party as an independent organization, and he resigned from the Regional Council on June 30, 2003. DTA President Katuutire Kaura
Katuutire Kaura
Katuutire Kaura is a Namibian politician. He has been President of the Democratic Turnhalle Alliance since 1998 and was Leader of the Official Opposition from 2000 to 2005.Kaura was born in Ombujondjupa, Otjozondjupa Region...
denounced Mudge's move to separate the Republican Party from the DTA, saying that Mudge acted unilaterally and illegally, and he said that Mudge had "expelled himself" from the DTA through his actions. Kaura claimed that Mudge wanted to create a party solely for "previously advantaged" minority Namibians. Mudge has been the President of the Republican Party, as well as a member of its National Executive Committee, since 2003.
In the November 2004 parliamentary election
Namibian general 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 elected to the National Assembly; he also stood as the Republican Party's candidate in the presidential election, receiving 1.95% of the vote.
In the November 2009 parliamentary election, Mudge was re-elected to the National Assembly as the party's only representative. In the concurrent presidential election, Mudge received 1.16% of the vote, placing seventh out of 12 candidates.
In September 2010, Mudge and eight other opposition politicians were sworn-in as members of the National Assembly following a six month boycott due to electoral irregularities in the 2009 election.
In March 2011, Mudge resigned as both a member of the National Assembly and as the President of the Republican Party. The party appointed Clara Gowases
Clara Gowases
Clara Gowases is a Namibian teacher and politician. Gowases was elected the chairperson of the Republic Party in September 2009 and subsequently listed second on the party's electoral list for the 2009 general election. Gowases missed out on being elected to the NA as the party only won a single...
, who was ranked 2nd on the party's electoral list in the 2009 election, to replace him.