| Honorific-Prefix: | The Honourable |
| Albert Kawana | |
| Honorific-Suffix: | MP |
| Office: | Minister of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security |
| Term Start: | 22 April 2021 |
| President: | Hage Geingob Nangolo Mbumba |
| Predecessor: | Frans Kapofi |
| Office1: | Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources |
| Term Start1: | 13 November 2019 |
| Term End1: | 22 April 2021 |
| President1: | Hage Geingob |
| Predecessor1: | Bernhard Esau |
| Successor1: | Derek Klazen |
| Office2: | Attorney general |
| Term Start2: | 8 February 2018 |
| Term End2: | 21 March 2020 |
| President2: | Hage Geingob |
| Predecessor2: | Sacky Shanghala |
| Successor2: | Festus Mbandeka |
| Office3: | Minister of Justice |
| Term Start3: | 21 March 2015 |
| Term End3: | 8 February 2018 |
| President3: | Hage Geingob |
| Predecessor3: | Utoni Nujoma |
| Successor3: | Sacky Shanghala |
| Term Start4: | 2003 |
| Term End4: | 2004 |
| President4: | Sam Nujoma |
| Predecessor4: | Ngarikutuke Tjiriange |
| Successor4: | Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana |
| Office5: | Minister of Presidential Affairs |
| Term Start5: | 21 March 2005 |
| Term End5: | 21 March 2015 |
| President5: | Hifikepunye Pohamba |
| Successor5: | Frans Kapofi |
| Office6: | Deputy Minister of Justice |
| Term Start6: | 2000 |
| Term End6: | 2003 |
| President6: | Sam Nujoma |
| Birth Date: | 26 March 1956 |
| Birth Place: | Katima Mulilo, South West Africa |
| Nationality: | Namibian |
| Party: | SWAPO |
| Alma Mater: | University of Warwick |
| Occupation: | Lawyer |
| Profession: | Politician |
Albert Kawana (born 26 March 1956) is a Namibian politician. A member of SWAPO, Kawana has been a member of the National Assembly and cabinet since 2000, serving in various positions. Since April 2021 he has been minister of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security. A lawyer by training, Kawana led Namibia's legal team in the Kasikili Island dispute, which was argued before the International Court of Justice.
Kawana was born on 26 March 1956[1] at Katima Mulilo in the Zambezi Region. He entered Namibian politics while in exile in Zambia. In 1979 he graduated from the United Nations Institute for Namibia (UNIN) with a diploma in Development Studies and Management. He moved on to the University of Warwick in the United Kingdom, where he received his L.L.M. in 1983 and Ph.D. in 1988. Following graduation, Kawana moved back to Zambia, where he became a lecturer in the final years of UNIN from 1988 to 1990.
Following Namibia's independence in March 1990, Kawana moved back to Namibia to become the first permanent secretary of the Minister of Justice, where he worked until 2000. Chosen by SWAPO to the third National Assembly in 2000, he immediately was promoted to the position of deputy Minister of Justice. Following the 2004 general election, Kawana was promoted to head the justice ministry, becoming the first permanent secretary to advance to the top post of minister since independence.
Kawana led Namibia's legal team in the Kasikili Island dispute, which was argued before the International Court of Justice. The court eventually sided with Botswana.[2] [3]
In 2005 he became minister for presidential affairs, serving until 2015.[2] Kawana was also included in President Hage Geingob's cabinet, appointed in March 2015, as minister of justice.[4] During a cabinet reshuffle in February 2018, he swapped positions with Sacky Shanghala and became attorney general, also in the rank of a minister.[5] Kawana became minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources after incumbent Bernhardt Esau resigned in November 2019 in the wake of the Fishrot scandal.[6] In a cabinet reshuffle in April 2021, he was moved to the Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security ministry.[7]
Albert Kawana was awarded The Most Brilliant Order of the Sun second-class for his distinguished service above the call of duty, in August 2024 by President Nangolo Mbumba.[8]