State House, Windhoek

Last updated
State House of Namibia
Laika ac New State House (8406704947).jpg
State House of Namibia
State House, Windhoek
Alternative namesNew State House
General information
Town or city Windhoek
Country Namibia
Coordinates 22°35′29″S17°06′04″E / 22.5913°S 17.1011°E / -22.5913; 17.1011
Construction started2002
Inaugurated21 March 2008
Design and construction
Architecture firm Mansudae Overseas Projects
Fence around State House Laika ac New State House (8407827942).jpg
Fence around State House

The State House of the Republic of Namibia is the official residence and workplace of the president of Namibia.

Contents

Located in the Auasblick suburb of Windhoek, the State House was constructed by Mansudae Overseas Projects of North Korea from September 2002 to March 2008, a total of 66 months. It is one of four major public works projects Mansudae constructed in Namibia, the other three being Heroes' Acre, Okahandja Military Museum and the Independence Memorial Museum. [1]

The administrative building cost 400 million Namibian dollars. [2] [3]

History

The State House was designed by the North Korean company Mansudae Overseas Projects and built over a period of 66 months. [4] [5] In September 2002, at the end of his term, Sam Nujoma, the first president of Namibia, had construction begin on the new building, to replace the old State House in the inner city, [6] because both the office space in the old State House and the parking area were inadequate. [7]

On 21 March 2008, the Namibian President opened Hifikepunye Pohamba's house in the presence of Kim Yong-nam, chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of North Korea, [1] and the Cuban General Leopoldo Cintra Frias. [8] Since the presidential residence was initially not finished completely, the Cabinet Secretary had to commute between the Old State House and the new building. On 2 September 2008, the first Cabinet meeting was held. [9] On 4 June 2010, the president officially moved to the new presidential residence. [10]

According to unofficial estimates, the construction cost was between 413.2 million [11] and 600 million Namibian dollars. [7] Forty Namibian subcontractors and suppliers were involved in the project. Another 100 Namibians were working on the project. [6]

Structure of the complex

The site covers 25 hectares and is fenced off by a two-kilometer long steel fence. At each corner of the fence, there are darkened glass towers and large guard rooms [6]

The administrative area consists of the Office of the President, the offices of cabinet members and 200 president staff offices. Separate from the office block, are a guest house for visiting heads of state to state, two apartments for more state visitors, as well as the residence of the president. Other buildings are garages and accommodation for police forces and security personnel. Opposite the main gate on the opposite side of the road are two helipads. Scattered on the park-like grounds are animal replicas (e.g. kudu and elephants ) made of copper. [6]

In the entrance hall is a painting of the members of the first Namibian Cabinet, including Sam Nujoma, Hifikepunye Pohamba, Hage Geingob, Theo-Ben Gurirab, Ben Amathila, Libertina Amathila, Hidipo Hamutenya and Gert Hanekom. At the door to the two-storey entrance hall, a wood carving shows a representation of women from all ethnic groups in the country. On the opposite wall at this level there is a large painting of the Epupa Falls, painted in 2005 by a Korean artist. [6]

Old State House

The Old State House is located on Robert Mugabe Avenue in the Windhoek Central Business District, near the Christ Church. Because of its central location and close proximity to nearby buildings, expansion was not possible, so the new State House had to be built.

On 20 July 2010, the cabinet decided that the old state house would be used as the residence and office of the prime minister of Namibia. [12]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sam Nujoma</span> President of Namibia from 1990 to 2005

Samuel Shafiishuna Daniel Nujoma, is a Namibian revolutionary, anti-apartheid activist and politician who served three terms as the first President of Namibia, from 1990 to 2005. Nujoma was a founding member and the first president of the South West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) in 1960. Prior to 1960, SWAPO was known as the Ovambo People's Organisation (OPO). He played an important role as leader of the national liberation movement in campaigning for Namibia's political independence from South African rule. He established the People's Liberation Army of Namibia (PLAN) in 1962 and launched a guerrilla war against the apartheid government of South Africa in August 1966 at Omungulugwombashe, beginning after the United Nations withdrew the mandate for South Africa to govern the territory. Nujoma led SWAPO during the lengthy Namibian War of Independence, which lasted from 1966 to 1989.

Hidipo Livius Hamutenya was a Namibian politician. A long time leading member of the South West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO), Hamutenya was a member of the Cabinet of Namibia from independence in 1990 to 2004, serving in several important ministerial portfolios. He was defeated in a bid for the party's presidential nomination in 2004 and left SWAPO to form an opposition group, the Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP), in 2007. He was elected to the National Assembly of Namibia with RDP in the 2009 general election. He was forced to step down as RDP president on 28 February 2015 and rejoined SWAPO on 28 August 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hifikepunye Pohamba</span> President of Namibia from 2005 to 2015

Hifikepunye Lucas Pohamba is a Namibian politician who served as the second president of Namibia from 21 March 2005 to 21 March 2015. He won the 2004 presidential election overwhelmingly as the candidate of SWAPO, and was reelected in 2009. Pohamba was the president of SWAPO from 2007 until his retirement in 2015. He is a recipient of the Ibrahim Prize.

Mansudae Overseas Projects is a construction company based in Jongphyong-dong, Phyongchon District, Pyongyang, North Korea. It is the international commercial division of the Mansudae Art Studio. As of August 2011, it had earned an estimated US$160 million overseas building monuments and memorials. As of 2015, Mansudae projects have been built in 17 countries: Angola, Algeria, Benin, Botswana, Cambodia, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Germany, Malaysia, Mali, Mozambique, Namibia, Senegal, Togo and Zimbabwe. The company uses North Korean artists, engineers, and construction workers rather than those of the local artists and workers. Sculptures, monuments, and buildings are in the style of North Korean socialist realism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hage Geingob</span> President of Namibia from 2015 to 2024

Hage Gottfried Geingob was a Namibian politician who served as the third president of Namibia from 2015 until his death in February 2024. Geingob was the first Prime Minister of Namibia from 1990 to 2002, and served as prime minister again from 2012 to 2015. Between 2008 and 2012 Geingob served as Minister of Trade and Industry.

Benjamin Ulenga is a Namibian trade unionist, politician, and diplomat. In the 1990s, he served under the SWAPO government as a deputy minister and as an ambassador, but he left SWAPO in 1998 and founded an opposition party, the Congress of Democrats (CoD), in 1999. He was a member of the National Assembly of Namibia from 2000 to 2015 and led the CoD until 2015.

Ngarikutuke Ernest Tjiriange was a Namibian politician, a member of the National Assembly and former secretary-general of the ruling SWAPO Party. He also served in the Namibian cabinet from 1990 to 2010, first as Minister of Justice, then without portfolio, and then as Minister of Veteran Affairs.

Pendukeni "Penny" Iivula-Ithana is a Namibian politician who served as the secretary general of SWAPO, Namibia's ruling party, from 2007 to 2012. She was a member of the Constituent Assembly of Namibia in 1989 and has been a member of Parliament and member of cabinet since independence in 1990.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2009 Namibian general election</span>

General elections were held in Namibia on 27–28 November 2009. They were the fourth general elections since independence and the fifth democratic elections. Voting ended on 28 November and official election results, released on 4 December, showed that Hifikepunye Pohamba and his SWAPO Party were re-elected, each with over 75% of the vote. Prior to the election, the South West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) was widely expected to score a landslide victory, with the Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP) considered SWAPO's biggest challenger. Fourteen political parties competed for seats in the National Assembly of Namibia, and twelve candidates ran for the presidency.

John Alphons Pandeni was a Namibian politician and trade unionist. A member of SWAPO, Pandeni was Minister of Regional and Local Government, Housing and Rural Development at the time of his death in 2008.

Richard Nchabi Kamwi is a Namibian medical physician and politician. A member of the National Assembly with the South West Africa People's Organization since 1999, Kamwi was the Minister of Health and Social Services from March 2005 to 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heroes' Acre (Namibia)</span> War memorial in Namibia

Heroes' Acre is an official war memorial of the Republic of Namibia. Built into the uninhabited hills 10 kilometres (6 mi) south of the city centre of Windhoek, Heroes' Acre opened on 26 August 2002. It was created to "foster a spirit of patriotism and nationalism, and to pass [this] to the future generations of Namibia".

2009 in Namibia refers to the events which occurred and will occur in the year of 2009 in the Republic of Namibia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cabinet of Namibia</span> Namibian institution

The Cabinet of Namibia is an appointed body that was established by Chapter 6 of the Constitution of Namibia. It is mandated to include the following positions: the President of Namibia, the Prime Minister of Namibia and any positions that the President so appoints.

The following lists events that happened during 2005 in Namibia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Calle Schlettwein</span> Namibian politician

Carl-Hermann Gustav "Calle" Schlettwein is a Namibian politician who has served in the country's cabinet since 2012. In March 2020, he was appointed the Minister of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform after serving as the Minister of Finance from 2015 to 2020 and previously as the Minister of Trade and Industry from 2012 to 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Namibia–North Korea relations</span> Bilateral relations

Namibia–North Korea relations refers to the current and historical relationship between Namibia and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). Neither country maintains an embassy in their respective capitals, although DPRK formerly had one in Windhoek, which closed down in 1994.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter Katjavivi</span> Namibian politician

Peter Hitjitevi Katjavivi is a Namibian politician who is the Speaker of the National Assembly of Namibia since March 2015 and the chancellor of the Namibia University of Science and Technology from 1992 to 2003. Previously he was the founding Vice-Chancellor of the University of Namibia from 1992 to 2003, Ambassador to the European Union from 2003 to 2006, Ambassador to Germany from 2006 to 2008, and Director General of the National Planning Commission from 2008 to 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Independence Memorial Museum (Namibia)</span> History museum in Windhoek, Namibia

The Independence Memorial Museum is a history museum in Windhoek, the capital of Namibia. It focuses on the anti-colonial resistance and the national liberation movement of Namibia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brazil–Namibia relations</span> Bilateral relations

Brazil–Namibia relations are the bilateral relations between Brazil and Namibia. Both nations are members of the Group of 77 and the United Nations.

References

  1. 1 2 Hall, Nick (December 9, 2022). "Empty lots and baboon feces: North Korea's monuments in Namibia — in photos". NK News . Retrieved 8 January 2023.
  2. ↑ New State House for New Nation in AllAfrica.com via New Era, 20 March 2008 (registration required)
  3. ↑ MENGES, WERNER (June 5, 2005). "Heroes' monument losing battle". The Namibian. Retrieved 11 October 2012.
  4. ↑ New State House for New Nation allafrica.com, New Era, (20 March 2008)
  5. ↑ Werner Menges (6 May 2005) Heroes' monument losing battle. The Namibian (retrieved 23 October 2009)
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 Catherine Sasman (20 March 2008) New State House for New Nation. allafrica.com (retrieved 1 November 2009)
  7. 1 2 Christof Maletsky (25 March 2008) No price on 'People's House'. The Namibian (retrieved 1 November 2009)
  8. ↑ Eberhard Hofmann (25 March 2008) Pakt mit autoritären Gästen Allgemeine Zeitung (retrieved 1 November 2009)
  9. ↑ Brigitte Weidlich (3 September 2008) First Cabinet meeting at New State House. The Namibian (retrieved 23 October 2009)
  10. ↑ Brigitte Weidlich (13 July 2010) New presidential residence inaugurated Archived 2015-09-24 at the Wayback Machine Die Republikein (retrieved 14 July 2010)
  11. ↑ Pohambas Posten wächst az.com.na, Allgemeine Zeitung, (retrieved 18 December 2009)
  12. ↑ Premier zieht ins alte Staatshaus, 11 August 2010

22°35′29″S17°06′04″E / 22.5913°S 17.1011°E / -22.5913; 17.1011

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.