The Honourable
Albert Kawana
MP
Minister of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security
Assumed office
22 April 2021
PresidentHage Geingob
Preceded byFrans Kapofi
Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources
In office
13 November 2019 – 22 April 2021
PresidentHage Geingob
Preceded byBernhard Esau
Succeeded byDerek Klazen
Attorney general
In office
8 February 2018 – 21 March 2020
PresidentHage Geingob
Preceded bySacky Shanghala
Succeeded byFestus Mbandeka
Minister of Justice
In office
21 March 2015 – 8 February 2018
PresidentHage Geingob
Preceded byUtoni Nujoma
Succeeded bySacky Shanghala
In office
2003–2004
PresidentSam Nujoma
Preceded byNgarikutuke Tjiriange
Succeeded byPendukeni Iivula-Ithana
Minister of Presidential Affairs
In office
21 March 2005 – 21 March 2015
PresidentHifikepunye Pohamba
Succeeded byFrans Kapofi
Deputy Minister of Justice
In office
2000–2003
PresidentSam Nujoma
Personal details
Born (1956-03-26) 26 March 1956
Katima Mulilo, South West Africa
NationalityNamibian
Political party SWAPO
Alma materUniversity of Warwick
OccupationLawyer
ProfessionPolitician

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 is 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.

Early life and education

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 onto 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.[2]

Career

Following Namibia's independence in March 1990, Kawana moved back to Namibia to become the first permanent secretary in 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.[2]

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]

References

  1. ↑ "Kawana, Albert". Government of Namibia. Retrieved 16 June 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Albert Kawana Archived 11 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine Namibia Institute for Democracy, 2007
  3. ↑ "Nicanor Hilma Ndinelago". Parliament of Namibia. Retrieved 7 March 2018.
  4. ↑ "Geingob announces Cabinet". The Namibian. 20 March 2015.
  5. ↑ Matthys, Donald (8 February 2018). "President reshuffles Cabinet—Vice President relieved of duties". Namibia Economist.
  6. ↑ Immanuel, Shinovene (13 November 2019). "Geingob accepts Esau, Shanghala resignations". The Namibian.
  7. ↑ Tjitemisa, Kuzeeko (22 April 2020). "Geingob shuffles his pack … Kapofi gets defence, Klazen promoted". New Era. p. 1.
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