State House, Windhoek

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State House of Namibia
Laika ac New State House (8406704947).jpg
State House of Namibia
State House, Windhoek
Alternative namesNew State House, 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, 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 other 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]

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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 Omugulugwombashe, 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.

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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.

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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

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