Zephania Kameeta

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The Reverend

Zephania Kameeta
Bishop
Zephania Kameeta.jpg
Church Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Republic of Namibia
In office2002–2013
Personal details
Born (1945-08-07) 7 August 1945 (age 80)
Otjimbingwe, Erongo Region

Zephania Kameeta (born 7 August 1945 in Otjimbingwe, Erongo Region) is a Namibian religious and political leader. [1] Since March 2015, he has been the Namibian Minister of Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare. [2]

Contents

Religious work

Kameeta studied at the Paulinum Seminary at Otjimbingwe from 1968 to 1971. [3] He was ordained as a minister of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in 1972, and taught at the Paulinum Seminary from 1973, serving as its principal 1976–77. [4]

Kameeta served as a parish minister in Lüderitz from 1978 to 1981. He was elected vice-president of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in 1982 and deputy bishop in 1985. [4] Between 2002 and 2013 Kameeta was bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Republic of Namibia (ELCRN). [5] From 2003 to 2010 he also served as the Lutheran World Federation's vice-president for the Africa region. [6]

Kameeta is an exponent of liberation theology. [7] [8] He is best known for his rendition of Psalm 23 which he wrote in 1973:

The Lord is my shepherd;
I have everything I need.
He lets me see a country of justice and peace
And directs my steps towards this land.
He gives me power.
He guides me in the paths of victory,
As he has promised
Even if a full scale violent confrontation breaks out
I will not be afraid, Lord,
For you are with me.
Your shepherd's power and love protect me.
You prepare me for my freedom,
Where all my enemies can see it;
You welcome me as an honoured guest
And fill my cup with righteousness and peace.
I know that your goodness and love
Will be with me all my life; and your liberating love will be my home
As long as I live. [9] [10]

This poem was later published in his Why, O Lord?: Psalms and Sermons from Namibia (Augsburg Fortress, 1986) and included in Pocket Prayers for Peace and Justice (Church House Publishing, 2004). [9] [11] [12]

Political work

In 1975, Kameeta founded the Namibia National Convention, a group founded to promote Black Consciousness. [10] He was arrested by the South African authorities for protesting against the Turnhalle Constitutional Conference. [3]

Kameeta served as a member of the Central Committee of the South West Africa People's Organisation (SWAPO) from 1977 to 2002. [1] When Namibia became independent in 1990 he was elected as a SWAPO member of the National Assembly, becoming its first Deputy Speaker. [1] In 1997 he was elected to SWAPO's Politburo where he remained until 2002. [1]

Kameeta was one of the pioneers of the Basic Income Grant Coalition. [13] In 2015, he was appointed Minister for Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare. [14]

Kameeta has albinism. His prominent role in society has helped others with albinism gain better understanding and acceptance. [15]

Recognition

On Heroes' Day 2014 he was conferred the Most Brilliant Order of the Sun, First Class. [16]

Bibliography

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Prominent SWAPO activists". Nordic Africa Institute. Archived from the original on 12 August 2010. Retrieved 6 November 2016.
  2. ↑ "Ministers" (PDF). Office of the Prime Minister . Retrieved 6 November 2016.
  3. 1 2 Historical Dictionary of Namibia. Scarecrow Press. 2012. p. 194. ISBN   9780810879904.
  4. 1 2 Torreguitar, Elena (2009). National Liberation Movements in Office: Forging Democracy with African Adjectives in Namibia. Peter Lang. p. 209. ISBN   9783631579954.
  5. ↑ Miyanicwe, Clemans (28 August 2013). "Troubled ELCRN to elect new bishop". The Namibian . Retrieved 6 November 2016.
  6. ↑ "Bishop Kameeta Appointed to Namibian Presidential Council". Lutheran World Federation . Retrieved 6 November 2016.
  7. ↑ Diescho, Joseph (29 July 2014). "The role of the Church in Namibia". New Era . Archived from the original on 14 August 2015. Retrieved 6 November 2016.
  8. ↑ Buys, Gerhard; Nambala, Shekutaamba. "Johannes Lukas de Vries". Dictionary of African Christian Biography. Archived from the original on 3 May 2017. Retrieved 6 November 2016.
  9. 1 2 Pocket Prayers for Peace and Justice. Church House Publishing. 2004. p. 3. ISBN   9780715140215.
  10. 1 2 Ejikeme, Anene (2011). Culture and Customs of Namibia. ABC-CLIO. p. 62. ISBN   9780313358913.
  11. ↑ Low, Valentine (1 June 2004). "Church gives 23rd Psalm a makeover". Evening Standard . Retrieved 6 November 2016.
  12. ↑ Verkaik, Robert (2 June 2004). "Our Father, who art in heaven, give us fair trade" . The Independent . Archived from the original on 7 May 2022. Retrieved 6 November 2016.
  13. ↑ Jourdan, Stanislas. "Basic Income Movement Leader Appointed as Head of New Ministry for Poverty Alleviation". Basic Income Earth Network . Retrieved 6 November 2016.
  14. ↑ Immanuel, Shinovene; Mongudhi, Tileni (20 March 2015). "Costly Democracy". The Namibian . pp. 1–2. Archived from the original on 10 April 2015.
  15. ↑ "'People think you're stupid'". News24. 5 October 2007. Archived from the original on 29 June 2018. Retrieved 29 August 2014.
  16. ↑ "Namibians honoured by President". New Era . 28 August 2014. Archived from the original on 29 June 2018. Retrieved 6 November 2016.
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