Hendrik Gaobaeb

{{Short description|Namibian politician and businessman}}

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

{{Use South African English|date=December 2024}}

{{Infobox person

|name = Hendrik Gaobaeb

|image =

|caption =

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1964|4|24|df=y}}

|birth_name =

|birth_place = Sesfontein, South West Africa (today Namibia)

|death_date =

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|other_names =

| party = UDF

|known_for =

|occupation =

|nationality = Namibian

}}

Hendrik Gaobaeb (born 24 April 1964) is a Namibian politician. He is the president of the United Democratic Front since January 2024 and its presidential candidate in the 2024 Namibian general election.

Gaobaeb is a member of the United Democratic Front (UDF) since 1980. He holds a National Diploma in Public Administration from the Polytechnic of Namibia (today Namibia University of Science and Technology). From 1996 to 2004 he was CEO of Khorixas.{{Cite web | title=Gaobaeb Hendrik | publisher = Parliament of Namibia | accessdate=3 December 2024 | url=https://www.parliament.na/dt_team/gaobaeb-hendrik/}}

Gaobaeb won the 2004 regional election for UDF in Sesfontein Constituency.{{Cite news | title=Electoral Act, 1992: Notification of Result of General Election for Regional Councils | newspaper=Government Gazette of the Republic of Namibia | issue=3366 | page=6 | publisher=Government of Namibia | date=3 January 2005 | url=http://www.lac.org.na/laws/2005/3366.pdf }} He was reelected in the 2010 regional election.{{Cite news | title=Notification of result of general election for Regional Councils: Electoral Act, 1992 | newspaper=Government Gazette of the Republic of Namibia | issue=4627 | page=4 | publisher=Government of Namibia | date=10 December 2010 | url=http://www.lac.org.na/laws/2010/4627.pdf }} In this second term as constituency councillor he was elected regional councillor and represented Kunene Region in the National Council.{{Cite news | last=Mbathera | first=Ester | title=Gaobaeb emerges as UDF president at weekend congress | newspaper=The Namibian | date=22 January 2024 | url=https://www.namibian.com.na/gaobaeb-emerges-as-udf-president-at-weekend-congress/}} In the 2015 regional election Gaobaeb lost Sesfontein constituency to Julius Koujova of SWAPO. In the 2020 regional election he again became councillor.{{Cite news | title=Publication of results and particulars in respect of general elections for Regional Councils: Electoral Act, 2014 | newspaper=Government Gazette of the Republic of Namibia | issue=7654 | page=12 | publisher=Government of Namibia | date=8 October 2021 | url=https://www.lac.org.na/laws/2021/7654.pdf }}

In January 2024 Gaobaeb became president of the UDF at its elective congress. He subsequently was nominated presidential candidate for the 2024 presidential election.{{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}}