In the realm of politics, various elements can influence public perception,
but for a politician from Namibia, his name presents a unique challenge.
This is due to the fact that his name is Adolf Hitler, which is less than favorable under any circumstances, particularly in a political context.
To clarify, his complete name is Adolf Hitler Uunona, though he commonly goes by Adolf Uunona.
Nevertheless, his name hasn’t hindered his political journey. The politician, affiliated with the ruling SWAPO party, reportedly won a significant majority to retain his position as a regional councillor in the Ompundja constituency in northern Namibia, although official results are pending.
Uunona has also addressed a question that many might have thought about.
That question being, why not change his name?
In a discussion with the German newspaper Bild, Uunona mentioned: “It’s in all official documents. It’s too late for that.”
He further explained that his father was responsible for the name, unaware of its historical implications, stating: “As a child I saw it as a totally normal name.”
As he matured, Uunona became aware of the negative connotations associated with his name.
“It wasn’t until I was growing up that I realised: This man wanted to subjugate the whole world,” he explained, while firmly stating: “I have nothing to do with any of these things.”
This hasn’t impeded his achievements, as Uunona secured about 85% of the vote in 2020.
German names remain relatively common in Namibia, a legacy from the period when it was a German colony, known as ‘German South West Africa’.
Afterward, it came under South African administration until achieving independence in 1990.
The SWAPO party, which is short for the South West Africa People’s Organisation, has its roots in anti-colonialism and continues to emphasize Namibian independence in its campaigns.
Established in 1960 as an independence movement for Namibia, SWAPO has been the ruling party since the nation gained independence.
Citizens of Uunona’s constituency attribute his political success to his history of campaigning against apartheid.
He initially won the seat in 2004 and has maintained his position in this SWAPO stronghold ever since.