Theo-Ben Gurirab

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Theo-Ben Gurirab
Theo-Ben Gurirab
Speaker of the National Assembly of Namibia
In office
27 August 2002 – March 19, 2005
President Hifikepunye Pohamba
Preceded by Hage Geingob
Succeeded by Nahas Angula
Born 23 January 1939 (1939-01-23) (age 69)
Political party SWAPO

Theo-Ben Gurirab (born January 23, 1939) was the second Prime Minister of Namibia, serving from August 27, 2002 until March 19, 2005. Currently he is the Speaker of the National Assembly of Namibia.[1]

Gurirab was born in Usakos in Erongo Region.[1] In exile from 1962 to 1989, he was Associate Representative of the SWAPO Mission to United Nations and United States from 1964 to 1972, then Head of the SWAPO Mission to the United Nations from 1972 to 1986. Subsequently he was SWAPO's Secretary for Foreign Affairs from 1986 to 1990.[1]

He was a SWAPO member of the Constituent Assembly, which was in place from November 1989 to March 1990, immediately prior to independence,[2] and since 1990 he has been a member of the National Assembly.[1] He was Minister of Foreign Affairs from independence in 1990 until he was appointed as Prime Minister by President Sam Nujoma on August 27, 2002, replacing Hage Geingob.[3]

While serving as Foreign Minister, he was elected as the President of the United Nations General Assembly on September 14, 1999, serving in that position until September 2000.[4]

Following the 2004 election, Gurirab was elected as Speaker of the National Assembly at the beginning of the new parliamentary term on March 20, 2005.[1][5]

He received the sixth highest number of votes—377—in the election to the Central Committee of SWAPO at the party's August 2002 congress.[6] He was again one of the highest scoring candidates in the election to the Central Committee at SWAPO's November 2007 congress.[7]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d e Profile at Namibian parliament website.
  2. ^ List of members of the Constituent Assembly, parliament.gov.na.
  3. ^ Christof Maletsky, "Nujoma shuffles the Cabinet pack", The Namibian, August 28, 2002.
  4. ^ Peter Mwaura, "Namibian to lead UN General Assembly", Africa Recovery, Vol.13 #2-3 (September 1999), page 4 (un.org).
  5. ^ "New Parliament Takes Office in Namibia", VOA News, March 20, 2005.
  6. ^ "The ruling party's new Central Committee", The Namibian, August 27, 2002.
  7. ^ Christof Maletsky, "Swapo big names dropped", The Namibian, December 3, 2007.
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Preceded by
Didier Opertti Badan		 President of the United Nations General Assembly
1999–2000		 Succeeded by
Harri Holkeri
Preceded by
Hage Geingob		 Prime Minister of Namibia
2002–2005		 Succeeded by
Nahas Angula
v • d • e
Presidents of the United Nations General Assembly
1940s
Spaak (BEL) • Aranha (BRA) • Arce (ARG) • Evatt (AUS) • Rómulo (PHI)
1950s
Entezam (IRI) • Nervo (MEX) • Pearson (CAN) • Pandit (IND) • van Kleffens (NED) • Maza (CHI) • Ortega (CHI) • Waithayakon (THA) • Munro (NZL) • Malik (LIB) • Belaúnde (PER)
1960s
Boland (IRL) • Slim (TUN) • Khan (PAK) • Rodriguez (VEN) • Quaison-Sackey (GHA) • Fanfani (ITA) • Pazhwak (AFG) • Mănescu (ROM) • Catalán (GUA) • Brooks (LBR)
1970s
Hambro (NOR) • Malik (INA) • Trepczyński (POL) • Benites (ECU) • Bouteflika (ALG) • Thorn (LUX) • Amerasinghe (SRI) • Mojsov (YUG) • Liévano (COL) • Salim (TAN)
1980s
Wechmar (BRD) • Kittani (IRQ) • Hollai (HUN) • Illueca (PAN) • Lusaka (ZAM) • Piniés (ESP) • Choudhury (BAN) • Florin (DDR) • Caputo (ARG) • Garba (NGR)
1990s
de Marco (MLT) • Shihabi (KSA) • Ganev (BUL) • Insanally (GUY) • Essy (CIV) • Freitas (POR) • Ismail (MAS) • Udovenko (UKR) • Opertti (URU) • Gurirab (NAM)
2000s
Holkeri (FIN) • Han (KOR) • Kavan (CZE) • Hunte (LCA) • Ping (GAB) • Eliasson (SWE) • Al-Khalifa (BAH) • Kerim (MKD)
v • d • e
Prime Ministers of Namibia
Hage Geingob • Theo-Ben Gurirab • Nahas Angula
 Flag of Namibia