Henry Isak Amalovu Katali (born 5 January 1958 in Eunda,

Omusati Region Omusati (the Oshindonga word for Mopane, the dominant tree in the area) is one of the fourteen regions of Namibia, its capital is Outapi. The towns of Okahao, Oshikuku and Ruacana as well as the self-governed village Tsandi are situated in ...

) is a

Namibia Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country on the west coast of Southern Africa. Its borders include the Atlantic Ocean to the west, Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south; in the no ...

n politician. From 1988 to 1990, Katali studied for a bachelor's degree with honours at the

University of Bristol The University of Bristol is a public university, public research university in Bristol, England. It received its royal charter in 1909, although it can trace its roots to a Merchant Venturers' school founded in 1595 and University College, Br ...

in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

. From 2001, Katali completed a master's degree from the

University of the Western Cape The University of the Western Cape (UWC; ) is a Public university, public research university in Bellville, South Africa, Bellville, near Cape Town, South Africa. The university was established in 1959 by the Politics of South Africa, South ...

outside of

Cape Town Cape Town is the legislature, legislative capital city, capital of South Africa. It is the country's oldest city and the seat of the Parliament of South Africa. Cape Town is the country's List of municipalities in South Africa, second-largest ...

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...

.Isak Katali
at the Namibia Institute for Democracy A member of

SWAPO The South West Africa People's Organisation (SWAPO ; , SWAVO; , SWAVO), officially known as the SWAPO Party of Namibia, is a political party and former independence movement in Namibia (formerly South West Africa). Founded in 1960, it has been ...

, Katali worked as an educator, both as a teacher and in administration around Ondangwa from 1987 to 2000. From 1990 to 1995, Katali worked as the regional secretary for the Namibia National Teachers Union (NANTU). In 2000, he was selected by president Sam Nujoma as one of six appointed but non-voting member to the

National Assembly of Namibia The National Assembly is the lower chamber of Namibia's bicameral Parliament. Its laws must be approved by the National Council, the upper house. Since 2014, it has a total of 104 members. 96 members are directly elected through a system of cl ...

and immediately became deputy Minister of Lands and Resettlement. He was elected on the SWAPO party list in 2004 and subsequently re-appointed to the cabinet of

Hifikepunye Pohamba Hifikepunye Lucas Pohamba (born 18 August 1935) is a Namibian politician who served as the second president of Namibia from 21 March 2005 to 21 March 2015. He won the 2004 Namibian presidential election, 2004 presidential election overwhelming ...

. In 2008 he was moved to deputise the Minister of Agriculture, Water and Forestry, and in 2010 he was promoted to Minister of Mines and Energy. He served in that position until 2015.

References

1958 births Living people Politicians from Omusati Region Members of the National Assembly (Namibia) Namibian expatriates in South Africa Namibian expatriates in the United Kingdom University of the Western Cape alumni Alumni of the University of Bristol SWAPO politicians Mines and energy ministers of Namibia {{Namibia-politician-stub