Margaret Mensah-Williams
Honourable Margaret Mensah-Williams MP | |
---|---|
Margaret Mensah-Williams in 2017 | |
Chairperson of the National Council | |
Assumed office 8 December 2015 | |
Preceded by | Asser Kuveri Kapere |
Chairperson of the National Council | |
In office 1999 – 8 December 2015 | |
Regional Councillor for the Khomasdal Constituency | |
Assumed office 1993 | |
Preceded by | Karel Persendt |
Former President of the IPU Women | |
Personal details | |
Born |
Margaret Natalie Mensah 25 December 1961 Mariental, Namibia |
Nationality | Namibian |
Political party |
Member of the Swapo Party Politburo Member of the Swapo Party Central Committee |
Residence | Windhoek |
Alma mater | Eastern and Southern African Management Institute |
Occupation | Teacher |
Profession | Politician |
Committees | Chairperson of the National Council Standing Committee on Women Caucus |
Website | www.parliament.na |
Margaret Natalie Mensah-Williams (born 25 December 1961) is a Namibian politician and the current Chairperson of the National Council (Upper House of the Namibian Parliament).[1] She is a member of the ruling Swapo Party and the current Regional Councillor for the Khomasdal Constituency in Windhoek.
Political career
Mensah-Williams ventured into politics during her time as a student at the University of Cape Town where she was involved in organising protest marches against the Apartheid regime both in her native Namibia and in South Africa. After university, her began her career as a teacher and later on worked in civil society. She became the first woman to be elected to a decision-making position when she was elected as the Vice-Chairperson (Deputy Speaker) of the National Council in 1999. Mensah-Williams has served the as a member of the National Council since 1998 to date.
She is currently a member of both the Politburo and of the Central Committee of the Swapo Paty. Until March 2018,[2] Mensah-Williams served for two consecutive terms as member of the Inter-Parliamentary Union Executive Committee and served the same body for as the President of the IPU Bureau of Women Parliamentarians for two terms. Furthermore, she was elected as the Vice-Chairperson of the IPU Working Group on Syria during the 137th IPU Assembly in Russia.
Education
Mensah-Williams holds a Master of Business Administration,[3] a Diploma in Management & Leadership,[4] from the Eastern and Southern African Management Institute in (1993), a Diploma in Negotiation Skills, Institute of Management and Leadership Training, Windhoek in (1992). Diploma in Housing & Community Development, University of Cape Town (1985). Teaching Diploma, Dower College, South Africa in (1983). School education at Keetmanshoop.
References
- ↑ "Leadership Development & Training | Leadership Trust". Worldlyleadership.org. Retrieved 2016-12-28.
- ↑ "National Assembly upsets National Council | Namibian Sun". 2015-05-18. Archived from the original on 2015-05-18. Retrieved 2018-01-08.
- ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-07-02. Retrieved 2012-11-15.
- ↑ "NID - Namibia Institute For Democracy". 2011-06-11. Archived from the original on 2011-06-11. Retrieved 2018-01-08.