Zephania Kameeta

Zephania Kameeta (born 7 August 1945 in Otjimbingwe, Erongo Region) is a Namibian religious and political leader. Since 2015, he is the Namibian Minister of Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare.

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Zephania Kameeta

Education

He attended the Martin Luther High School at Okombahe and then the Paulinum Seminary at Otjimbingwe (1968–1971).

Independence movement

He was ordained as a minister of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia in 1972, and taught at the Paulinum Seminary from 1973, and was principal 1976-77.

In 1975, Kameeta founded the Namibia National Convention, and was detained under the Terrorism Act while addressing an NNC meeting in Katutura, Windhoek to protest against the Turnhalle Constitutional Conference. He was kept in darkness and solitary confinement for a fortnight.

He was a parish minister in Lǔderitz from 1978 to 1981. He was elected vice-president of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in 1982 and deputy bishop in 1985. He was an exponent of Black Theology.

Post-Independence

When Namibia became independent he was elected as a South West Africa People's Organization member of the National Assembly. He became its first Deputy Speaker. Between 2002 and 2013 Kameeta was bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Republic of Namibia (ELCRN).

Kameeta is married to Elizabeth Goases. On Heroes' Day 2014 he was conferred the Most Brilliant Order of the Sun, First Class.

Currently Kameeta is Namibia's Minister for Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare.

Further reading

• Why, O Lord?: Psalms and Sermons from Namibia by Zephania Kameeta, Augsburg Fortress Publishing