WINDHOEK – Namibian politician Adolf Hitler Uunona, 59, is preparing to contest local elections on November 26th. He is widely expected to secure another term after a landslide victory in 2020, where he garnered 85 percent of the vote in the Ompundja constituency in northern Namibia.
Despite the global attention his name attracted four years ago, the SWAPO party candidate has maintained his popularity among local voters.
Uunona has previously addressed the controversy surrounding his name. He told German newspaper Bild that his father was likely unaware of the historical significance associated with the name when he chose it. “As a child, it was a perfectly normal name,” he stated. “It was only later that I realized this man conquered the world. I have nothing to do with these things.”
Despite the controversy, Uunona has no plans to change his name, which has been part of his official records for decades. According to reports, his wife simply calls him “Adolf,” avoiding the full name in public. He prefers to keep his name as it is.
The legacy of German colonial rule remains apparent in some aspects of Namibian public life, from place names to personal names. This makes names like “Adolf” relatively common in certain areas.
In 2020, a vehicle bearing the name “Adolf Hitler” and a Nazi symbol on the rear window appeared in Uunona’s hometown. He vehemently denied any connection to the vehicle, calling it a “stupid act” aimed at exploiting his name to create baseless controversy. He stated firmly he had nothing to do with the vehicle or its message.
