Tsudao Gurirab
Encyclopedia
Tsudao Immanuel Gurirab is a Namibia
n politician. A member of Congress of Democrats
(CoD), Gurirab was formerly a member of the ruling South West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) until Gurirab, Ben Ulenga
, Ignatius Shixwameni
and others left SWAPO to form CoD in 1999. He is also a member of the Pan-African Parliament
and the only non-SWAPO member selected from Namibia. In 2007, Gurirab was elected chairperson of the party.
in Lusaka
, Zambia
in 1982, B.A.
in economics from the University of Sussex
in 1984 and M.A.
in Development Studies from the University of Manchester
in 1986. In 2002, Gurirab earned a M.A. in Public Policy and Administration from the University of Namibia
/Institute of Social Sciences in The Hague
, Netherlands
.
, Angola
from 1987-98. Following the end of the Namibian War of Independence
, Gurirab worked on the editorial board of the SWAPO newspaper Namibia Today
as well as on the party's election team in 1989. From independence in 1990 until 1995, the Usakos native was the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Trade and Industry when Ben Amathila
was Minister. He left politics in 1995 and worked as a private economist. Gurirab joined some prominent SWAPO figures and joined CoD in 1999. In the 1999 election, the new party earned 7 out of 72 seats, tying it with the Democratic Turnhalle Alliance (DTA) for second most seats in the National Assembly of Namibia
and a seat for Gurirab. Gurirab maintained that seat in the 2004 election as number 3 on CoD's electoral list for the Assembly, despite a net loss of two seats for CoD. Gurirab was not re-elected in the 2009 general election, as only CoD leader Ben Ulenga
was re-eleted.
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 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), Gurirab was formerly a member of the ruling South West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) until Gurirab, Ben Ulenga
Ben Ulenga
Benjamin Ulenga is a Namibian politician. A member of the National Assembly of Namibia, he is the President of the Congress of Democrats , an opposition political party....
, 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:...
and others left SWAPO to form CoD in 1999. He is also a member of the Pan-African Parliament
Pan-African Parliament
The Pan-African Parliament , also known as the African Parliament, is the legislative body of the African Union and held its inaugural session in March 2004. The PAP exercises oversight, and has advisory and consultative powers, lasting for the first five years...
and the only non-SWAPO member selected from Namibia. In 2007, Gurirab was elected chairperson of the party.
Education
Gurirab went into exile with SWAPO and earned a diploma from the United Nations Institute for NamibiaUnited Nations Institute for Namibia
The United Nations Institute for Namibia was an educational body set up by the United Nations Council for Namibia from 1976-1990. Based in Zambia's capital of Lusaka, UNIN was the brainchild of United Nations Commissioner for Namibia Seán MacBride, the proposal creating UNIN was adopted by the...
in Lusaka
Lusaka
Lusaka is the capital and largest city of Zambia. It is located in the southern part of the central plateau, at an elevation of about 1,300 metres . It has a population of about 1.7 million . It is a commercial centre as well as the centre of government, and the four main highways of Zambia head...
, Zambia
Zambia
Zambia , officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west....
in 1982, B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in economics from the University of Sussex
University of Sussex
The University of Sussex is an English public research university situated next to the East Sussex village of Falmer, within the city of Brighton and Hove. The University received its Royal Charter in August 1961....
in 1984 and M.A.
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
in Development Studies from the University of Manchester
University of Manchester
The University of Manchester is a public research university located in Manchester, United Kingdom. It is a "red brick" university and a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive British universities and the N8 Group...
in 1986. In 2002, Gurirab earned a M.A. in Public Policy and Administration from the University of Namibia
University of Namibia
The University of Namibia is the national university of Namibia, located in the Pioneers Park district of Windhoek. Established by an act of National Assembly on 31 August 1992, UNAM includes Colleges of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Economics & Management Science Education, Humanities and...
/Institute of Social Sciences in The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
, Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
.
Political career
Gurirab joined the SWAPO Department of Economic Affairs as a researcher in LuandaLuanda
Luanda, formerly named São Paulo da Assunção de Loanda, is the capital and largest city of Angola. Located on Angola's coast with the Atlantic Ocean, Luanda is both Angola's chief seaport and its administrative center. It has a population of at least 5 million...
, Angola
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
from 1987-98. Following the end of the Namibian War of Independence
Namibian War of Independence
See also South African Border War.The Namibian War of Independence, also known as the South African Border War, which lasted from 1966 to 1988, was a guerrilla war, which the nationalist South-West Africa People's Organization and others, fought against the apartheid government in South...
, Gurirab worked on the editorial board of the SWAPO newspaper Namibia Today
Namibia Today
Namibia Today is the mouthpiece of the South West Africa People's Organization which is the ruling political party of Namibia.Editor: Asser Ntinda...
as well as on the party's election team in 1989. From independence in 1990 until 1995, the Usakos native was the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Trade and Industry when Ben Amathila
Ben Amathila
Ben Amathila is a semi-retired Namibian politician. Amathila served in the government of Namibia with SWAPO from independence in 1990 until his retirement from the National Assembly in April 2007...
was Minister. He left politics in 1995 and worked as a private economist. Gurirab joined some prominent SWAPO figures and joined CoD in 1999. In the 1999 election, the new party earned 7 out of 72 seats, tying it with the Democratic Turnhalle Alliance (DTA) for second most seats in 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...
and a seat for Gurirab. Gurirab maintained that seat in the 2004 election as number 3 on CoD's electoral list for the Assembly, despite a net loss of two seats for CoD. Gurirab was not re-elected in the 2009 general election, as only CoD leader Ben Ulenga
Ben Ulenga
Benjamin Ulenga is a Namibian politician. A member of the National Assembly of Namibia, he is the President of the Congress of Democrats , an opposition political party....
was re-eleted.