Evilastus Kaaronda

{{Short description|Namibian trade unionist}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2024}}

{{Infobox person

|name = Evilastus Kaaronda

|image =

|caption =

|birth_date = {{birth based on age as of date|49|2024|11|26}}

|birth_name = Evilastus Kaaronda

|birth_place = Otjiwarongo

|death_date =

|death_place =

|other_names =

|known_for = Worker's rights

|occupation = Trade Unionist

|nationality = Namibian

}}

Evilastus Kaaronda (born 1974 or 1975 in Otjiwarongo){{Cite news | title=Namibia’s choice: Pretenders vs Contenders | last=Mumbuu | first=Edward | newspaper=New Era | date=26 November 2024 | url=https://neweralive.na/namibias-choice-pretenders-vs-contenders}} is a Namibian trade unionist and politician. He is president of the South West Africa National Union (SWANU) since May 2022{{Cite news | title=Evalistus Kaaronda new SWANU of Namibia president | newspaper=NBC | year=2022 | url=https://www.nbcnews.na/news/evalistus-kaaronda-new-swanu-namibia-president.57507}} and since March 2023 occupies SWANU's sole seat in parliament.{{Cite news | title=Iijambo ponders future after parliament | newspaper=The Namibian | date=28 March 2023 | url=https://www.namibian.com.na/121074/read/Iijambo-ponders-future-after-parliament}}

Kaaronda is SWANU's presidential candidate for the 2024 Namibian general election.{{Cite news | title=Kaaronda faces uphill battle to revive Swanu | newspaper=The Namibian | date=5 May 2022 | url=https://www.namibian.com.na/kaaronda-faces-uphill-battle-to-revive-swanu/}} He previously served as the secretary general of the National Union of Namibian Workers (NUNW).[https://web.archive.org/web/20120527175949/http://www.namibian.com.na/news/full-story/archive/2011/april/article/kaaronda-to-be-investigated/ Kaaronda to be investigated] The Namibian, 17 April 2011

Kaaronda is considered a new breed of unionist,"A different breed of unionist". [http://www.insight.com.na/ Insight magazine] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220115055749/http://www.insight.com.na/ |date=2022-01-15 }}, Namibia. July, 2011. that more than compromising workers' interest to be politically complacent with the power structures, maintains an outspoken approach on the many polemic issues that affect the workers. His criticisms include support on a people-oriented Basic Income Grant, skepticism on the precarious short-term labour contracts proposed by the TIPEEG[http://www.npc.gov.na/publications/TIPEEG.pdf "Targeted Intervention Programme for Employment and Economic Growth"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110626164702/http://www.npc.gov.na/publications/TIPEEG.pdf |date=2011-06-26 }}, National Planning Commission, 2011. program, demands to hold accountable those who were responsible for the N$600 million Government Institutions Pension Fund (GIPF) lost through botched investments in a series of politically connected start-ups, and ultimately to improve the status of the workers rather than decrease them as incentive for foreign investment."The party leaders have forgotten how poor people live" Interview with Evilastus Kaaronda. [http://www.insight.com.na/ Insight magazine] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220115055749/http://www.insight.com.na/ |date=2022-01-15 }}, Namibia. July, 2011.

In April 2011, an investigation against Kaaronda was launched following allegations of misconduct; specifically, Kaaronda was alleged to have made unauthorized public statements which discredited NUNW-affiliated unions.[https://archive.today/20120904042557/http://www.newera.com.na/article.php?articleid=38250&title=Kaaronda%20under%20siege Kaaronda under siege] New Era, 12 April 2011 In 2012, Kaaronda was fired from NUNW alongside its president Elias Manga, citing "gross non-compliance with regard to his duties and responsibilities", the "disunity, division and mistrust" on his part.{{cite web| url = http://allafrica.com/stories/201210310464.html| title = Namibia: Evilastus Kaaronda Fired - allAfrica.com}} They were replaced by Connie Pandeni and Alfred Angula. In 2014, Kaaronda was instrumental in founding a competing national trade union center, the Namibia National Labour Organisation (NANLO).