Nahas Angula
Encyclopedia
Nahas Gideon Angula is the current Prime Minister
of Namibia
. He entered into office on March 21, 2005, when his appointment was announced by new president Hifikepunye Pohamba
during the latter's inauguration. Angula received a master's degree in education from Columbia University
.
Angula was born in Onyaanya, Oshikoto Region
. He was in exile from Namibia from 1965 to 1989, and during this time he worked for Radio Zambia from 1973 to 1976 and for the United Nations
as a civil servant from 1976 to 1980 before becoming a SWAPO organizer in 1980. He was in charge of SWAPO voter registration in 1989. Immediately prior to independence, Angula was a SWAPO member of the Constituent Assembly, which was in place from November 1989 to March 1990. He has been a member of the National Assembly
since 1990, and he was Minister of Education, Sport, and Culture from 1990 to 1995 and Minister of Higher Education from 1995 until 2005.
Angula received the highest number of votes, 395 (tied with Jerry Ekandjo
), in the election to the Central Committee of SWAPO at the party's August 2002 congress. He was one of three candidates who sought SWAPO's nomination as its presidential candidate in May 2004. He placed third in the first round, receiving 137 votes, while Pohamba received 213 and Hidipo Hamutenya
received 166, and he was therefore excluded from the second round. Those who supported Angula backed Pohamba almost without exception in the second round of voting, and Pohamba was victorious. He is a member of the Lutheran church
, as has been his family for generations.
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
of Namibia
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...
. He entered into office on March 21, 2005, when his appointment was announced by new president 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...
during the latter's inauguration. Angula received a master's degree in education from Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
.
Angula was born in Onyaanya, Oshikoto Region
Oshikoto Region
Oshikoto is one of the thirteen regions of Namibia. The northern part of the region is agricultural, whereas the main economic activities in the southern part are cattle rearing and mining...
. He was in exile from Namibia from 1965 to 1989, and during this time he worked for Radio Zambia from 1973 to 1976 and for the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
as a civil servant from 1976 to 1980 before becoming a SWAPO organizer in 1980. He was in charge of SWAPO voter registration in 1989. Immediately prior to independence, Angula was a SWAPO member of the Constituent Assembly, which was in place from November 1989 to March 1990. He has been a 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...
since 1990, and he was Minister of Education, Sport, and Culture from 1990 to 1995 and Minister of Higher Education from 1995 until 2005.
Angula received the highest number of votes, 395 (tied with Jerry Ekandjo
Jerry Ekandjo
Jerry Ekandjo is a Namibian politician, currently serving as Minister of Regional and Local Government, Housing and Rural Development....
), in the election to the Central Committee of SWAPO at the party's August 2002 congress. He was one of three candidates who sought SWAPO's nomination as its presidential candidate in May 2004. He placed third in the first round, receiving 137 votes, while Pohamba received 213 and Hidipo Hamutenya
Hidipo Hamutenya
Hidipo L. Hamutenya is a Namibian politician. A long-time leading member of the South West Africa People's Organization , Hamutenya was a member of the Cabinet of Namibia from independence in 1990 to 2004...
received 166, and he was therefore excluded from the second round. Those who supported Angula backed Pohamba almost without exception in the second round of voting, and Pohamba was victorious. He is a member of the Lutheran church
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia is a Lutheran denomination based in Namibia. It has a total membership of over 600,000, mainly in Northern Namibia. It played a significant role in opposition to Apartheid in Namibia and was part of the Namibian independence struggle.The church developed...
, as has been his family for generations.