Albert Kawana

Albert Kawana (born 26 March 1956)[1] is a Namibian politician and the current Attorney-General since his appointment on 8 February 2018 replacing Sacky Shanghala who replaced him as Justice minister. A member of SWAPO, Kawana has been a member of the National Assembly and Cabinet since 2000, reaching the post of Minister for Presidential Affairs in March 2005. A lawyer by training, Kawana led Namibia's legal team in the Kasikili Island dispute, which was argued before the International Court of Justice before the court eventually sided with Botswana.[2][3]

The Honourable

Albert Kawana

MP
Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources
Assumed office
21 March 2020
PresidentHage Geingob
Preceded byBernhard Esau
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
Minister of Presidential Affairs
In office
21 March 2005 – 21 March 2015
PresidentHifikepunye Pohamba
Succeeded byFrans Kapofi
Minister of Justice
In office
2003–2004
PresidentSam Nujoma
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

Early life and education

Born at Katima Mulilo in Zambezi Region, Kawana entered into Namibian politics while in exile in Zambia. He graduated in 1979 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 Ministry 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 a Ministry since independence.[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 was moved to the position of Attorney-General, also in the rank of a minister.[5]

References
  1. http://www.parliament.na/index.php?option=com_contact&view=contact&id=1007:kalbert1-a&catid=104&Itemid=1479
  2. 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.
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