Uakutura Kambaekua
OUTJO – Members of Parliament have expressed their sorrow and condolences on the passing of Swapo member of Parliament and former Otjozondjupa governor James Unomasa Uerikua.
Uerikua died in a car accident between Otjiwarongo and Okakarara on Friday.
Uerikua died at the scene, while his 14-year-old son succumbed to injuries at the Otjiwarongo hospital. Those who worked closely with him have described him as a towering and emerging figure in the Namibian political discourse.
Born on 02 August 1982, Uerikua rose to prominence in the late 2000s, serving as a development planner at the Ministry of Lands and Resettlement in Gobabis (2010-2012), principal development planner in the Office of the Prime Minister in Windhoek (2012-2014), and chief development planner in the Office of the Vice-President in Windhoek (2014-2020). He was appointed governor of the Otjozondjupa Region by former president Hage Geingob, from 2020 to 2025, before being elected as a member of Parliament under the Swapo Party ticket, where he served until his untimely death. Uerikua was also the incumbent chairperson of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on International Relations, Defence and Security.
Too soon
Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare stated that Uerikua left too soon, adding that he was looking forward to fruitful discussions with him in Parliament next week.
“Receiving the news of comrade James Uerikua’s tragic death has been incredibly heart-wrenching. Just the other day, we were in Parliament and parted ways to meet again on Tuesday to continue the budget debates. He had so much to live for and so much to contribute to Namibia,” stated Ngurare.
Swapo MP Tobie Aupindi said he has lost not just a colleague, but a dear friend and brother.
“James was more than a leader – he was a kind soul, a pillar of strength, and a man whose humility and love for people defined his life. The laughter we shared, the struggles we faced together, and the dreams we carried for our country will forever live in my heart,” he remarked.
Aupindi stated that it is unbearably painful to imagine a world without him, noting that Namibia has lost a true servant.
Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) leader McHenry Venaani said Uerikua was a man of great promise and conviction, a capable and diligent MP, a committed nationalist, and a leader who approached the task of nation-building with seriousness, clarity, and purpose.
“He belonged to a generation entrusted with the responsibility of carrying our country forward and he did so with admirable dedication. Beyond his public service, he was an affable, warm, and approachable individual, whose humility and humanity made him widely respected and genuinely liked across divides,” Venaani remarked.
According to Venaani, Uerikua possessed a rare ability to connect with people, and his presence brought comfort and confidence to those around him.
“To me, he was more than a colleague; he was a very dear young brother. His passing is not only a national loss, but a deeply personal one. Namibia has lost a committed servant, and we have all been deprived of the full measure of his future contribution,” he added.
Swapo parliamentarian Willem Amutenya described Uerikua as a remarkable human being, noting that he was always youthful in spirit, juvenile in the most admirable sense, vibrant, full of life, and unapologetically present.
He continued: “He was articulate, sharp, and intellectually fearless.
His political provocations were never for noise, but to sharpen debate, to challenge thought, and to push us all to be better.
From him, I personally found inspiration. He pushed me to read deeper, to revisit the dictionary, to enrich my vocabulary so I could stand firmer in the arena of ideas and wisdom.”
He said Uerikua’s presence was never silent, noting that it arrived with jokes and laughter, with perfectly timed humour that could disarm tension and remind them that even in the seriousness of governance and stressful political affairs, they are still human.
Amutenya commented that Uerikua left too soon for a generation that looked forward to the depth and quality of debates, adding that he was destined to lead and committed to building a stronger August House, one that reflects the aspirations of both the current generation and those yet to come.
“The nation will continue the fight, carrying forward the political battles and pursuing the economic struggles with the same courage and conviction he embodied,” he said.
Uerikua holds a Master of Law (LLM) in International Business Law from the University of Cumbria, Switzerland (2025). He also has a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the Management College of Southern Africa, South Africa (2017), a National Diploma in Agricultural Science from the University of Namibia, Neudamm Campus, Namibia (2005), a Certificate in Middle Management Development Programme from Southern Business School, Namibia (2013), and a Certificate of Participation in the Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Course from the University of Pretoria, South Africa. Uerikua completed his Grade 12 Cambridge Certificate at Immanuel Shifidi High School in Windhoek (2002).
-Nampa