Jesaya Nyamu
Encyclopedia
Jesaya Nyamu is a Namibia
n politician. A member of the Rally for Democracy and Progress
(RDP), Nyamu was a high level member of the South West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) from 1964, when he fled into exile, until 2002, when he was expelled from the party for "disobedience". He was a member of SWAPO's Central Committee from 1975 until his expulsion from the party in 2002. In 2007, he registered a new political party, the Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP) and was unanimously selected as the party's Secretary General in 2008. He was elected to the National Assembly of Namibia
with RDP in the 2009 general election.
, Oshikoto Region
(located in Ovamboland
) to Abyatar Nyamu and Albertine Shipanga.
(now Tanzania
) then the United States
, Nyamu studied economics at the University of California
. Following graduation, Nyamu went to the Soviet Union
, where he studied economic planning. Following the end of his education, he became an important SWAPO diplomat across Africa
; posts included key SWAPO allies Tanzania and Zambia
. From 1976 to 1980, Nyamu was the Deputy Secretary for Information in Luanda
, Angola
and from 1980 to 1985, SWAPO's representative in Addis Ababa
, Ethiopia
.
's rule, including by forming a new political party". In 2007, Nyamu registered a new political party, the Rally for Democracy and Progress
, which seeks to undermine SWAPO in the National Assembly
, where SWAPO has 55 of the 72 seats. In November 2007, fellow SWAPO exile Hidipo Hamutenya
joined Nyamu as leaders of the new party; Nyamu was confirmed as the Secretary General of the party at its congress in 2008.
In September 2010, Nyamu and 8 other opposition politicians were sworn-in as members of the National Assembly following a six month boycott due to electoral irregularities in the 2009 election.
Namibia
Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia , is a country in southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. It gained independence from South Africa on 21 March...
n politician. A member of the Rally for Democracy and Progress
Rally for Democracy and Progress (Namibia)
The Rally for Democracy and Progress is an opposition political party in Namibia. It was launched on November 17 2007 under the leadership of Hidipo Hamutenya and Jesaya Nyamu, both former leading members of the ruling SWAPO party and cabinet ministers. Hamutenya had unsuccessfully sought the SWAPO...
(RDP), Nyamu was a high level member of the South West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) from 1964, when he fled into exile, until 2002, when he was expelled from the party for "disobedience". He was a member of SWAPO's Central Committee from 1975 until his expulsion from the party in 2002. In 2007, he registered a new political party, the Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP) and was unanimously selected as the party's Secretary General in 2008. He was elected to the National Assembly of Namibia
National Assembly of Namibia
The National Assembly of Namibia is the lower chamber of the country's bicameral Parliament. It has a total of 78 members. 72 members are directly elected through a system of party-list proportional representation and serve five-year terms. Six additional members are appointed by the President.The...
with RDP in the 2009 general election.
Personal
Nyamu was born on 20 March 1942 in OshigamboOshigambo
Oshigambo is a village in the Oshikoto Region of northern Namibia. It is situated on the banks of Oshigambo River east of the Etosha pan.The village features a secondary school, Oshigambo High School, as well as a primary school.-References:...
, Oshikoto Region
Oshikoto Region
Oshikoto is one of the thirteen regions of Namibia. The northern part of the region is agricultural, whereas the main economic activities in the southern part are cattle rearing and mining...
(located in Ovamboland
Ovamboland
Ovamboland was the name given by English-speaking visitors to the land occupied by the Ovambo people in what is now northern Namibia and southern Angola...
) to Abyatar Nyamu and Albertine Shipanga.
Exile
Nyamu fled into exile with SWAPO in 1964. First going to then TanganyikaTanganyika
Tanganyika , later formally the Republic of Tanganyika, was a sovereign state in East Africa from 1961 to 1964. It was situated between the Indian Ocean and the African Great Lakes of Lake Victoria, Lake Malawi and Lake Tanganyika...
(now Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
) then the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Nyamu studied economics at the University of California
University of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
. Following graduation, Nyamu went to the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, where he studied economic planning. Following the end of his education, he became an important SWAPO diplomat across Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
; posts included key SWAPO allies Tanzania and Zambia
Zambia
Zambia , officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west....
. From 1976 to 1980, Nyamu was the Deputy Secretary for Information in Luanda
Luanda
Luanda, formerly named São Paulo da Assunção de Loanda, is the capital and largest city of Angola. Located on Angola's coast with the Atlantic Ocean, Luanda is both Angola's chief seaport and its administrative center. It has a population of at least 5 million...
, Angola
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
and from 1980 to 1985, SWAPO's representative in Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa is the capital city of Ethiopia...
, Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
.
Independence
Nyamu became the Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 1990 to 1991. In 1991, Nyamu moved to the key Ministry of Mines and Energy, where he was Deputy Minister from 1991 to 1999 and Minister from 1999 to 2002.Expulsion and birth of RDP
Nyamu was expelled from SWAPO in 2002 for disobedience it came to light that Nyamu wrote a personal memoranda "on how to break [President] Sam NujomaSam Nujoma
Samuel Daniel Shafiishuna Nujoma is a Namibian politician who was the first President of Namibia from 1990 to 2005. He led the South-West Africa People's Organisation in its long struggle against South African rule and took office as President when Namibia obtained independence on 21 March 1990...
's rule, including by forming a new political party". In 2007, Nyamu registered a new political party, the Rally for Democracy and Progress
Rally for Democracy and Progress (Namibia)
The Rally for Democracy and Progress is an opposition political party in Namibia. It was launched on November 17 2007 under the leadership of Hidipo Hamutenya and Jesaya Nyamu, both former leading members of the ruling SWAPO party and cabinet ministers. Hamutenya had unsuccessfully sought the SWAPO...
, which seeks to undermine SWAPO in the National Assembly
National Assembly of Namibia
The National Assembly of Namibia is the lower chamber of the country's bicameral Parliament. It has a total of 78 members. 72 members are directly elected through a system of party-list proportional representation and serve five-year terms. Six additional members are appointed by the President.The...
, where SWAPO has 55 of the 72 seats. In November 2007, fellow SWAPO exile Hidipo Hamutenya
Hidipo Hamutenya
Hidipo L. Hamutenya is a Namibian politician. A long-time leading member of the South West Africa People's Organization , Hamutenya was a member of the Cabinet of Namibia from independence in 1990 to 2004...
joined Nyamu as leaders of the new party; Nyamu was confirmed as the Secretary General of the party at its congress in 2008.
In September 2010, Nyamu and 8 other opposition politicians were sworn-in as members of the National Assembly following a six month boycott due to electoral irregularities in the 2009 election.