The City of Windhoek's junior mayor
Michael Petrus, a young man with a vision to uplift the morale of the Namibian youth, believes that during his term, the Junior Council will help with combating issues Namibian children are facing. The Zone recently caught up with the young man after his inauguration.
The Zone: Who is Michael Petrus?
MP: I am currently in grade 11 at Windhoek High School. I have science subjects with accounting and I was born on 6 August and I am turning 17 years. I came from a family of two siblings and I am also a sport prefect at my school.
The Zone: You have recently been inaugurated as the junior mayor of the City of Windhoek. Could you please share with us how you felt about this achievement?
MP: I did not expect it as there were a lot of other junior councillors who had the potential as well. I was overwhelmed and it proved to me that God is truly great! It was also a joyful event as all of the councillors (outgoing and incoming) came together as one and I will always be grateful for their presence. It was also a bittersweet moment for me as I had to bid farewell to the outgoing junior councillors and I and the rest of the junior councillors will surely miss them. The support from family and friends is also something which I treasure as they will be with me every step during my term.
The Zone: What made you decide to run for the junior mayor position?
MP: First of all, I wanted God to use me as an instrument of change for the youth thus I wanted to be in the position of change and influence meaning I had to the forefront of the youth and their voice as well. I also wanted to build upon what other previous leaders have set for us and use that to move forward. The previous junior mayor, Dawie Fourie, has set a very good example for me and I plan to not disappoint him as he has laid a very good foundation for us. My teacher, Mrs Motoomull, also groomed me into the leader I am today.
The Zone: As the new junior mayor of Windhoek, what are your roles during your term?
MP: My duties include chairing meetings during our monthly discussions with the junior council, giving speeches at youth events, interacting with political officials and attending events or projects on behalf of the junior council. I will also be steering all our future projects run by the junior council.
The Zone: You mentioned change during your acceptance speech at your inauguration ceremony. Could you please tell us what exactly this change would entail?
MP: We, the junior council, have established the importance of a reading culture. The youth are the future generation and we need a literate youth to bring forth more opportunities. We are going to implement a core project of reading under the SALT (Save a Life Today) programme that was established by the junior councillors of 2015/2016. Other standing projects include our work with the Cancer Association of Namibia (CAN) and also the old-age homes. We also encourage the youth to be more active and we request any involvement from their side for future projects.
The Zone: What are your plans after you finish high school?
MP: I am a huge fan of 'Grey's Anatomy', which is an American medical drama television series. The show focuses on the fictional lives of surgical interns, residents and attending physicians, as they evolve into seasoned doctors while trying to maintain personal lives and relationships. Due to this show, I am aspiring to become a medical doctor one day, because it looks so cool to save lives.
The Zone: With your new role as the junior mayor, how do you plan to balance everything?
MP: A close friend of mine, Tulipomwene Kalunduka, always tells me that if you really want something, you will make time for it. You should have the desire to do all your appointed duties and always remember to do them well. I plan to make sure that I strike a balance between my duties and my social responsibility to the youth. I am quite an organised person already so it will be easy to manage.
TUNOHOLE MUNGOBA
MP: I am currently in grade 11 at Windhoek High School. I have science subjects with accounting and I was born on 6 August and I am turning 17 years. I came from a family of two siblings and I am also a sport prefect at my school.
The Zone: You have recently been inaugurated as the junior mayor of the City of Windhoek. Could you please share with us how you felt about this achievement?
MP: I did not expect it as there were a lot of other junior councillors who had the potential as well. I was overwhelmed and it proved to me that God is truly great! It was also a joyful event as all of the councillors (outgoing and incoming) came together as one and I will always be grateful for their presence. It was also a bittersweet moment for me as I had to bid farewell to the outgoing junior councillors and I and the rest of the junior councillors will surely miss them. The support from family and friends is also something which I treasure as they will be with me every step during my term.
The Zone: What made you decide to run for the junior mayor position?
MP: First of all, I wanted God to use me as an instrument of change for the youth thus I wanted to be in the position of change and influence meaning I had to the forefront of the youth and their voice as well. I also wanted to build upon what other previous leaders have set for us and use that to move forward. The previous junior mayor, Dawie Fourie, has set a very good example for me and I plan to not disappoint him as he has laid a very good foundation for us. My teacher, Mrs Motoomull, also groomed me into the leader I am today.
The Zone: As the new junior mayor of Windhoek, what are your roles during your term?
MP: My duties include chairing meetings during our monthly discussions with the junior council, giving speeches at youth events, interacting with political officials and attending events or projects on behalf of the junior council. I will also be steering all our future projects run by the junior council.
The Zone: You mentioned change during your acceptance speech at your inauguration ceremony. Could you please tell us what exactly this change would entail?
MP: We, the junior council, have established the importance of a reading culture. The youth are the future generation and we need a literate youth to bring forth more opportunities. We are going to implement a core project of reading under the SALT (Save a Life Today) programme that was established by the junior councillors of 2015/2016. Other standing projects include our work with the Cancer Association of Namibia (CAN) and also the old-age homes. We also encourage the youth to be more active and we request any involvement from their side for future projects.
The Zone: What are your plans after you finish high school?
MP: I am a huge fan of 'Grey's Anatomy', which is an American medical drama television series. The show focuses on the fictional lives of surgical interns, residents and attending physicians, as they evolve into seasoned doctors while trying to maintain personal lives and relationships. Due to this show, I am aspiring to become a medical doctor one day, because it looks so cool to save lives.
The Zone: With your new role as the junior mayor, how do you plan to balance everything?
MP: A close friend of mine, Tulipomwene Kalunduka, always tells me that if you really want something, you will make time for it. You should have the desire to do all your appointed duties and always remember to do them well. I plan to make sure that I strike a balance between my duties and my social responsibility to the youth. I am quite an organised person already so it will be easy to manage.
TUNOHOLE MUNGOBA
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