Willem Konjore

The Honourable
Reverend
Willem Konjore
Minister of Youth, National Service, Sport and Culture
In office
March 2008 – March 2010
PresidentHifikepunye Pohamba
Preceded byJohn Mutorwa
Succeeded byKazenambo Kazenambo
Minister of Environment and Tourism
In office
March 2005 – March 2008
PresidentHifikepunye Pohamba
Preceded byPhilemon Malima
Succeeded byNetumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah
Personal details
Born30 July 1945 (1945-07-30)
Kais, South West Africa
Died11 June 2021 (2021-06-12) (aged 75)
Windhoek, Namibia
NationalityNamibia Namibian
Political party SWAPO
SpouseElsie Anastasia Konjore
Children9
Residence(s)Vaalgras, ǁKaras Region
OccupationPolitician
ProfessionClergy, teacher
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Reverend Willem Konjore (30 July 1945—11 June 2021) was a Namibian politician. He was a member and a deputy speaker of the National Assembly of Namibia, and served in cabinet from 2005 to 2010.

Early life and education

Konjore was born on 30 July 1945 in Kais, a small settlement in what today is the ǁKaras Region. He trained as a teacher from 1966 to 1967 at St Joseph's Teacher Training Centre in Döbra and studied theology in the Diocese of Keetmanshoop and Mariental from 1976 to 1979. From 1968 to 1990 he worked at several schools, first as teacher in Tses in southern Namibia and later as principal and manager in Khorixas.[1]

Political career

A member of SWAPO, Konjore was a member of the National Assembly of Namibia beginning with the Constituent Assembly in 1989 and ending following the election of the 5th National Assembly in 2010. He served as deputy speaker of this body from 2000 to 2005.[2]

He was appointed Minister of Environment and Tourism in 2005, and was moved to the Youth, National Service, Sport and Culture portfolio in 2008.[1]

Konjore was married to Elsie Atanasia Konjore from Vaalgras. They had five children. His wife died in 2013.[3] On Heroes' Day 2014 he was conferred the Most Brilliant Order of the Sun, Second Class.[4] Willem Konjore died on 10 June 2021 in Windhoek.[5]

References

  1. ^ a b "Konjore Willem". Parliament of Namibia. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  2. ^ Willem Konjore at Namibia Institute for Democracy
  3. ^ Upula, Levi. "Beloved Mother of Vaalgras laid to rest". SWAPO. Archived from the original on 30 August 2018. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
  4. ^ "Namibians honoured by President". New Era. 28 August 2014. Archived from the original on 29 June 2018. Retrieved 29 August 2014.
  5. ^ "Voormalige parlementslid en minister, eerwaarde Willem Konjore, sterf in Windhoek" [Former Head of Parliament and Minister, Honourable Willem Konjore, dies in Windhoek]. Republikein (in Afrikaans). NAMPA. 11 June 2021.


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