Mishake Muyongo
Encyclopedia
Mishake Muyongo is a Namibia
n politician and former Member of Parliament who is living in exile in Denmark
.
Muyongo was born in Linyanti. In September 1964 Muyongo became President of the Caprivi African National Union (CANU) when its leader Simbwaye was arrested and disappeared in South-African custody. Muyongo escaped to Zambia
during a South-African raid at the CANU office in Katima Mulilo
. While living in exile in Dar es Salaam
, Muyongo negotiated a merger with Sam Nujoma
's South-West Africa People's Organisation
(SWAPO) party. Both parties would fight together to liberate Namibia from South-African rule. Muyongo held various positions in SWAPO before he was expelled in 1980: representative in Zambia (1964-'65), educational secretary (1966-'70), SWAPO Vice-President (from 1970).
In 1985 Muyongo led his CANU into a new political party, the United Democratic Party
which soon joined the Democratic Turnhalle Alliance (DTA) group of parties but was expelled again in 1998 after rumours of secessionism surfaced. He was a member of the National Assembly
from 1990 to 1999. In the 1994 presidential election he placed second, behind President Sam Nujoma
, with 23.08% of the vote. After Muyongo expressed support for Caprivi secession in 1998, he was suspended from the DTA in August 1998 at an extraordinary meeting of the party's executive committee. Muyongo fled the country with the former governor of Caprivi Region
, John Mabuku
. He was replaced as DTA President by Katuutire Kaura
, who called for Muyongo to be brought back and put on trial.
While Muyongo fled and found exile in Denmark, the Caprivi treason trial
in Namibia. Allegedly Nujoma agreed to an independent Caprivi, once SWAPO succeeded in winning Namibian independence.
Namibia
Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia , is a country in southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. It gained independence from South Africa on 21 March...
n politician and former Member of Parliament who is living in exile in Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
.
Muyongo was born in Linyanti. In September 1964 Muyongo became President of the Caprivi African National Union (CANU) when its leader Simbwaye was arrested and disappeared in South-African custody. Muyongo escaped to Zambia
Zambia
Zambia , officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west....
during a South-African raid at the CANU office in Katima Mulilo
Katima Mulilo
Katima Mulilo is the capital of the Caprivi Strip, Namibia's far north–east extension into central Southern Africa. It comprises two electoral constituencies, Katima Mulilo Rural and Katima Mulilo Urban...
. While living in exile in Dar es Salaam
Dar es Salaam
Dar es Salaam , formerly Mzizima, is the largest city in Tanzania. It is also the country's richest city and a regionally important economic centre. Dar es Salaam is actually an administrative province within Tanzania, and consists of three local government areas or administrative districts: ...
, Muyongo negotiated a merger with Sam Nujoma
Sam Nujoma
Samuel Daniel Shafiishuna Nujoma is a Namibian politician who was the first President of Namibia from 1990 to 2005. He led the South-West Africa People's Organisation in its long struggle against South African rule and took office as President when Namibia obtained independence on 21 March 1990...
's South-West Africa People's Organisation
South-West Africa People's Organisation
The South West Africa People's Organization is a political party and former liberation movement in Namibia. It has been the governing party in Namibia since achieving independence in 1990...
(SWAPO) party. Both parties would fight together to liberate Namibia from South-African rule. Muyongo held various positions in SWAPO before he was expelled in 1980: representative in Zambia (1964-'65), educational secretary (1966-'70), SWAPO Vice-President (from 1970).
In 1985 Muyongo led his CANU into a new political party, the United Democratic Party
United Democratic Party (Namibia)
The United Democratic Party is a political party in Namibia, representing mainly people from Eastern Caprivi and advocating for the secession of the Caprivi Strip....
which soon joined the Democratic Turnhalle Alliance (DTA) group of parties but was expelled again in 1998 after rumours of secessionism surfaced. He was a member of the National Assembly
National Assembly of Namibia
The National Assembly of Namibia is the lower chamber of the country's bicameral Parliament. It has a total of 78 members. 72 members are directly elected through a system of party-list proportional representation and serve five-year terms. Six additional members are appointed by the President.The...
from 1990 to 1999. In the 1994 presidential election he placed second, behind President Sam Nujoma
Sam Nujoma
Samuel Daniel Shafiishuna Nujoma is a Namibian politician who was the first President of Namibia from 1990 to 2005. He led the South-West Africa People's Organisation in its long struggle against South African rule and took office as President when Namibia obtained independence on 21 March 1990...
, with 23.08% of the vote. After Muyongo expressed support for Caprivi secession in 1998, he was suspended from the DTA in August 1998 at an extraordinary meeting of the party's executive committee. Muyongo fled the country with the former governor of Caprivi Region
Caprivi Region
Caprivi is one of the 13 regions of Namibia. It takes its name from the Caprivi Strip which in turn was named after Leo von Caprivi.-Geography:...
, John Mabuku
John Mabuku
John Mabuku was the governor of Caprivi Region in Namibia and secessionist supporter of an independent Caprivi Strip. Mabuku, a former Democratic Turnhalle Alliance National Council member, fled to exile in Botswana with former DTA leader Mishake Muyongo following a failed separatist revolt in...
. He was replaced as DTA President by Katuutire Kaura
Katuutire Kaura
Katuutire Kaura is a Namibian politician. He has been President of the Democratic Turnhalle Alliance since 1998 and was Leader of the Official Opposition from 2000 to 2005.Kaura was born in Ombujondjupa, Otjozondjupa Region...
, who called for Muyongo to be brought back and put on trial.
While Muyongo fled and found exile in Denmark, the Caprivi treason trial
Caprivi treason trial
The Caprivi treason trial is a trial in which the Government of Namibia indicted 132 people for allegedly participating in the Caprivi conflict on the side of the Caprivi Liberation Army in a period between 1992 and 2002...
in Namibia. Allegedly Nujoma agreed to an independent Caprivi, once SWAPO succeeded in winning Namibian independence.
External links
- "Namibian Voters Deny Total Power to SWAPO," by Michael Johns, The Wall Street JournalThe Wall Street JournalThe Wall Street Journal is an American English-language international daily newspaper. It is published in New York City by Dow Jones & Company, a division of News Corporation, along with the Asian and European editions of the Journal....
, November 19, 1989.