Maamberua retires at 61

Swanu's Usutuaije Maamberua has retired from parliament after serving for nine years.Maamberua, who is 61 years old, was the first person to represent the party in parliament. During his farewell speech on Wednesday he expressed the hope that Namibia's democracy would not be characterised by discord and dysfunction, but rather by the values, vision and the principles of the nation. According to Maamberua his public service began as an international public servant at the African Development Bank (AfDB), where he served as an advisor for more than three years. That was followed by eight years as finance permanent secretary and seven years as a senior lecturer at the University of Namibia (Unam). “Most memorable was the experience of being the first person ever to represent Swanu, the oldest political party in Namibia, in this honourable House,” he said.He told parliamentarians that he looked forward to them achieving new milestones. “I look forward to your support for the incoming Swanu parliamentarian, as I trust you will give him and the party the same unfailing cooperation which had made all of us a collective to lead Namibia to greater and higher success in the future.” Maamberua also said it was a privilege and honour to serve the Namibian nation in parliament for close to a decade. “And yes, I loved the job, not for its prestige, its titles and its ceremonies, which I am not bothered about at all. I enjoyed the job for its potential to make this country fairer, more tolerant, more democratic, more prosperous, more just and equitable and authentically inclusive - a truly caring and sharing Namibia.” He said he was leaving some unfinished business behind. This included reparations for the 1904-08 genocide, a universal healthcare system, a sovereign wealth fund, a genocide remembrance day, the land question and ancestral land rights.“I have been asked several times what I am going to do next as I exit this august House. I am going to do a lot of things and very few of them will conform to the notion of retirement. I shall therefore endeavour to render services that will impact the lives of the people, even beyond my own lifespan.”ELLANIE SMIT

Maamberua retires at 61

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Namibian Sun 2025-06-18

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Maamberua retires at 61

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Namibian Sun 2025-06-18

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