Lucia Witbooi | |
|---|---|
| 4th Vice President of Namibia | |
| Assumed office 22 March 2025 | |
| President | Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah |
| Preceded by | Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah |
| Member of theNational Assembly | |
| In office 28 November 2009 – 21 March 2025 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1961-03-21)21 March 1961 (age 64) Gabes,South West Africa |
| Party | SWAPO |
| Spouse | Adam Hendrik Witbooi |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | University of Namibia Azaliah College for Further and Higher Education University of Port Elizabeth |
Lucia Witbooi (born 21 March 1961) is a Namibian teacher and politician has been the 4thVice President of Namibia since 2025. Prior to her tenure as vice president she was a member of theNational Assembly from 2009 to 2025.
Lucia Witbooi was born in Gabes,South West Africa,[1] on 21 March 1961,[2] as one of Willem Witbooi and Anna Witbooi's twelve children. Her family moved toGibeon, Namibia, in 1967, to farm, but Lucia moved toKeetmanshoop to be educated.[1]
Witbooi graduated from Suiderling Senior Secondary School in 1979, with a higher primary education certificate from theUniversity of Namibia in 1996, with a diploma in education from the Azaliah College for Further and Higher Education, and a higher diploma in education from theUniversity of Port Elizabeth in 1999. She worked as a teacher for 27 years.[2][3]
In the2009 election Witbooi was elected to theParliament of Namibia as the 34th candidate onSWAPO'selectoral list.[1][2][4] In 2023, she ran for Deputy-Secretary General of SWAPO, but later withdrew.[5]
During Witbooi's tenure in the parliament she served on the Foreign Affairs, Defence Safety and Security, and Gender and Family Affairs committees and was deputy chair of the Information and Communications Technology committee. She was the Deputy Minister of Gender Equality and Child Welfare from 2015 to 2020, and Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security from 2023 to 2025.[2]
PresidentNetumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah appointed Witbooi asVice President of Namibia on 22 March 2025. Her appointment made Namibia the only country in Africa with both a female president and vice president.[3]
Witbooi married Adam Hendrik Witbooi, with whom she had three children, at age 21. She retained her maiden name as Adam had the same last name as her. Adam died in a car accident.[1][4]
Witbooi has called for Germany to pay reparations for theHerero and Nama genocide.[6]
