Angelika Muharukua Explained

Birth Date:12 January 1958
Death Date:1 October 2017
Office:Governor of the Kunene Region
Term Start:2015[1]
Term End:2017

Angelika Kazetjindire Muharukua (12 January 1958 Opuwo, Kunene Region – 1 October 2017[2]) was a Namibian politician. An ethnic Herero from northwestern Namibia, Muharukua joined the South West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) in 1979. She was a surprise choice by President Sam Nujoma for the 2nd National Assembly of Namibia in 1995 and remained in the National Assembly since. In May 2004, she was chosen to replace Marlene Mungunda as deputy minister of Women Affairs and Child Welfare, later renamed the Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare.[3]

In September 2012 Angelika Muharukua contradicted international human rights laws such as the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples when she publicly announced that indigenous peoples such as the Himba and Zemba would not have the right to choose their own traditional leaders.[4]

On 27 March 2013, Angelika Muharukua publicly opposed protest by about a thousand indigenous Himba and Zemba[5] who were manifesting their grievances that their children are not receiving culturally appropriate education, but are instead forced to cut their children's traditional hair styles, remove their cultural attires and therefore forced to remove their cultural identity.[6]

Angelika Muharukua was married to Kenatjironga Festus Muharukua who died in a car accident in March 2015. She lived in Ovinjange[7] but the couple also had a residence in Windhoek Hochland Park suburb.[8]

On 1 October 2017, Angelika Muharukua died in a Windhoek hospital on a suspected heart failure (attack).[9]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Kunene Governor Angelika Muharukua dies | nbc. nbcnews.na.
  2. Announcement of the Passing Away of Honourable Muharukua, Governor of the Kunene Region. Office of the President, 1 October 2017.
  3. http://www.nid.org.na/view_book_entry.php?book_id=115 Guide to Namibian Politics
  4. Web site: Namibia: Muharukua Unimpressed By Kaoko Demonstrations. The Namibian. 14 December 2012.
  5. Web site: Namibia: Muharukua Angered By Himba Demo. All Africa. 2013-03-27.
  6. Web site: Declaration by the traditional Himba leaders of Kaokoland in Namibia. earthpeoples.org. 2012-04-06. 2018-07-27. https://web.archive.org/web/20180727085150/http://earthpeoples.org/blog/?p=1070. dead.
  7. News: Ovinjange villagers eulogise Kenatjironga Muharukua. New Era. 17 September 2015.
  8. Web site: Kenatjirionga Muharukua has died . Lela Mobile . 10 March 2015 .
  9. Web site: Angelika Muharukua dies. 2021-05-17. www.nampa.org.