A Namibian politician named Adolf Hitler is on track to win a local election, retaining his seat in the country’s north. Onona gained international attention due to his name’s resemblance to the Nazi leader.
Adolf Hitler Uunona, a councilor for the SWAPO party, is widely expected to secure his seat. Initial projections from the electoral commission indicate a clear victory for the 59-year-old.
Uunona first garnered global attention in 2020 when he won the Ombadja constituency with 85% of the vote, securing 1,196 votes compared to his opponent’s 213. At the time, only 2,520 voters were registered in the constituency, making his win decisive.
Despite his ongoing political career, the primary focus on Uunona has been his name, identical to that of the German dictator responsible for some of history’s worst atrocities.
Speaking to the German newspaper Bild in 2020, the Namibian politician clarified that he has no association with Nazi ideology. “I have nothing to do with that,” he stated, explaining that his father likely did not understand what Adolf Hitler represented. “As a child, I saw it as a perfectly normal name.”
“It was only later that I understood that this man wanted to conquer the whole world. I have nothing to do with any of this,” he added. His wife calls him Adolf, but he generally avoids using the name Hitler in public. He has insisted against changing his name, as it is on all official documents, and it is “too late” to change it.
As a former German colony, Namibia retains many German place names, and traditional names like Adolf are not uncommon. In 2020, a vehicle bearing the name “Adolf Hitler” and a swastika on its rear window was spotted in Uunona’s hometown.
However, Uunona denied owning the vehicle and dismissed any connection to the display.
DZWatch Note: We will continue to follow election results as they come in.
