Margaret Mensah-Williams
Margaret Mensah-Williams MP | |
|---|---|
Margaret Mensah-Williams in 2017 | |
| Chairperson of the National Council | |
| In office 08 December 2015 – 09 December 2019 | |
| Preceded by | Asser Kuveri Kapere |
| Succeeded by | Bernard Sibalatani |
| 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 South West Africa (now Namibia) |
| Nationality | Namibian |
| Political party | 
Member of the Swapo Party Politburo Member of the Swapo Party Central Committee |
| Residence(s) | Windhoek Khomas Region Namibia |
| 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 former chairperson of the National Council (Upper House of the Namibian Parliament) from 2015 to 2019.[1][2] She is a member of the ruling SWAPO Party and the current regional councillor for the Khomasdal Constituency in Windhoek, Namibia.
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 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,[3] 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,[4] a Diploma in Management & Leadership,[5] 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
- ^ "Mensah-Williams, Margaret Natalie". www.parliament.na.
- ^ "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.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-07-02. Retrieved 2012-11-15.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "NID - Namibia Institute For Democracy". 2011-06-11. Archived from the original on 2011-06-11. Retrieved 2018-01-08.
External links
- 1961 births
- Living people
- 20th-century women politicians
- 21st-century women politicians
- Chairmen of the National Council (Namibia)
- Eastern and Southern African Management Institute alumni
- Namibian women in politics
- People from Windhoek
- SWAPO politicians
- University of Cape Town alumni
- 20th-century Namibian politicians
- 21st-century Namibian politicians