Engel Nawatiseb

Engel Nawatiseb
Deputy Minister of Information and Communication Technology
In office
2018–2020
PresidentHage Geingob
Prime MinisterSaara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila
Succeeded byEmma Theofilus
Deputy Minister of Public Enterprises
In office
2015–2018
PresidentHage Geingob
Prime MinisterSaara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila
Member of the National Assembly
In office
20 March 2015 – 20 March 2020
Personal details
Born (1969-06-20) 20 June 1969 (age 55)[1]
Oshikoto Region, Namibia[1]
Political partySouth West African People's Organization (2015–2024)
(Since 2024)
Other political
affiliations		Landless People's Movement (2024)

Engelbrecht A. Nawatiseb (born 20 June 1969) is a Namibian politician. A member of the South West African People's Organization (SWAPO), he served as a member of the National Assembly from 2015 to 2020. While serving in the National Assembly, he held offices as Deputy Minister of Public Enterprises from 2015 to 2018 and as Deputy Minister of Information and Communication Technology from 2018 to 2020.[1] Prior to his career in politics, he attended and graduated from Otjikoto Secondary School and served as a road contractor.[1] His membership in SWAPO was briefly interrupted for about a month in 2024, when he left SWAPO to join the Landless People's Movement (LPM).[2] This decision came after Nawatiseb made calls for younger leadership within SWAPO.[3] Nawatiseb later quickly abandoned the party to rejoin SWAPO.[2]

Nawatiseb began to suffer from kidney failure in 2021; he later praised private dialysis centres for providing care for his condition.[4] In 2024, the Namibian Government sued Nawatiseb for his refusal to pay an unused travel allowance from a cancelled trip to Spain, as well as for salary overpayment.[5][6] Nawatiseb faced controversy the same year when a video of him slapping a bartender in Tsumeb was circulated online. Nawatiseb defended his actions, stating that the bar was causing noise pollution. This claim was disputed by the bartender.[7] The video was criticised by members of the Popular Democratic Movement, to which Nawatiseb responded by describing the PDM as a "total reject in Tsumeb".[8] In 2024, Nawatiseb was accused of "orchestrating a scheme" and "rushing" to sell a house before a bank he was affiliated with was to be liquidated.[9]

  1. ^ a b c d "!Nawatiseb, Engelbrecht A." parliament.na. Retrieved 9 September 2024.
  2. ^ a b Hamalwa, Festus. "Nawatiseb makes U-turn on LPM". New Era Live. Retrieved 11 September 2024.
  3. ^ Amutenja, Hertta-Maria. "FORMER DEPUTY MINISTER NAWATISEB LEAVES SWAPO TO JOIN LPM". Windhoek Observer. Retrieved 11 September 2024.
  4. ^ Hiveluah, Feni. "Former MP commends private dialysis centres amid Govt shortcomings". The Namibian. Retrieved 27 September 2024.
  5. ^ "Namibia: Govt Sues Ex-Deputy Minister Over Travel Allowance". AllAfrica. Retrieved 9 September 2024.
  6. ^ "S&T funds of a cancelled trip haunt former Information Minister Nawatiseb". All Namibian News. Retrieved 11 September 2024.
  7. ^ "BARTENDER RECALLS SLAP FROM EX-DEPUTY MINISTER". Namibian Sun. 20 June 2024. Retrieved 11 September 2024.
  8. ^ Matthys, Donald. "Former deputy minister defends slapping bar lady". The Namibian. Retrieved 11 September 2024.
  9. ^ Smith, Sonja. "Pensioner could lose house as liquidators chase Nawatiseb". The Namibian. Retrieved 8 November 2024.