Meet 24-year-old Emma Theofelus, Namibia’s youngest minister

Emma Inamutila Theofelus got her name engraved in Namibia’s history books when she became the country’s youngest minister in 2020.

President Hage Geingob appointed her on March 22nd 2020, at age 23 and she was sworn in as Namibia’s Deputy Minister of Information and Communication Technology.

The young minister who was born in Windhoek, Namibia is also a Member of Parliament.

Emma, now 24 years old, holds an LLB Honours Degree from the University of Namibia, a diploma in Business Management from Amity University and a diploma in Afrikan Feminism and Gender Studies from the University of South Africa.

Before her appointment, the minister was a youth Activist around issues of gender, children’s rights, sustainable development and youth unemployment. She served as the Deputy Speaker of the Youth Parliament of the Republic of Namibia and the Junior Mayor of the City of Windhoek amongst other roles.

Her ascendancy to the deputy ministerial position has had many people questioning her experience and suitability for the post, but Theofelus confidently shot down such assertions, noting that anyone is able to learn, understand and acquaint themselves with the task at hand to be able to do a job.

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“I have literally been learning on the job so far.

“I do not think I am special, but I do not think I am inexperienced, and I do not think to be young or female has anything to do with my appointment. Anything I set myself to and any environment I want to work into, I can do it; so the issue of inexperience does not hold any water,” she said.