Namibian regional politician named after Nazi leader runs for election

(MENAFN) A regional politician in northern Namibia — Adolf Hitler Uunona — is once again campaigning for office, despite his unusual name that mirrors that of the Nazi dictator. He has repeatedly emphasized that he rejects any association with the ideology behind the name, according to reports.

Uunona, 59, is a long-serving member of the governing SWAPO party and is competing for re-election in the Ompundja constituency in the Oshana region, where voters will cast their ballots on November 26. He has represented the area since 2004 and is widely expected to retain his position after securing roughly 85% of the vote in 2020, according to outlets familiar with the election.

International interest first surged in 2020, when his full name gained global media attention during the election cycle. Uunona has previously explained that his father intentionally chose the name but likely did not grasp the historical weight associated with the Nazi leader. “My father named me after this man. He probably didn’t understand what Adolf Hitler stood for. As a child, I saw it as a totally normal name,” he said at the time.

He has repeatedly distanced himself from any extremist beliefs, stressing, “Only as I grew up did I realize: This man wanted to subjugate the whole world. I have nothing to do with any of these things.”

Namibia, once known as German South West Africa, was a German colony from 1884 until it was taken over by South African forces during World War I. The territory remained under South African control until gaining independence in 1990. German cultural influence from the colonial period remains noticeable today — including in place names and personal names — and first names like Adolf are still relatively common among older generations.

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