Willem Konjore
{{Short description|Namibian clergy and politician (1945–2021)}}
{{Infobox Officeholder
|honorific-prefix = {{small|The Honourable
Reverend}}
|name = Willem Konjore
|honorific-suffix =
|image =
|imagesize =
|smallimage =
|caption =
|order =
|office1 = Minister of Youth, National Service, Sport and Culture
|term_start1 = March 2008
|term_end1 = March 2010
|president1 = Hifikepunye Pohamba
|predecessor1 = John Mutorwa
|successor1 = Kazenambo Kazenambo
|office2 = Minister of Environment and Tourism
|term_start2 = March 2005
|term_end2 = March 2008
|president2 = Hifikepunye Pohamba
|predecessor2 = Philemon Malima
|successor2 = Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah
|birth_date = {{Birth-date|30 July 1945}}
|birth_place = Kais, South West Africa
|death_date = {{Death-date and age|11 June 2021|30 July 1945}}
|death_place = Windhoek, Namibia
|nationality = {{flagicon|Namibia}} Namibian
|spouse = Elsie Anastasia Konjore
|relations =
|children = 9
|residence = Vaalgras, ǁKaras Region
|alma_mater =
|occupation = Politician
|profession = Clergy, teacher
|religion =
|signature =
|website =
|footnotes =
}}
{{Contains special characters|Khoekhoe}}
Reverend Willem Konjore (30 July 1945—11 June 2021) was a Namibian politician. He was a member and a deputy speaker of the National Assembly of Namibia, and served in cabinet from 2005 to 2010.
Early life and education
Konjore was born on 30 July 1945 in Kais, a small settlement in what today is the ǁKaras Region. He trained as a teacher from 1966 to 1967 at St Joseph's Teacher Training Centre in Döbra and studied theology in the Diocese of Keetmanshoop and Mariental from 1976 to 1979. From 1968 to 1990 he worked at several schools, first as teacher in Tses in southern Namibia and later as principal and manager in Khorixas.{{Cite web | title= Konjore Willem | publisher = Parliament of Namibia | accessdate=31 July 2022 | url=https://www.parliament.na/dt_team/konjore-willem-4/}}
Political career
A member of SWAPO, Konjore was a member of the National Assembly of Namibia beginning with the Constituent Assembly in 1989 and ending following the election of the 5th National Assembly in 2010. He served as deputy speaker of this body from 2000 to 2005.[http://www.nid.org.na/view_book_entry.php?book_id=100 Willem Konjore] at Namibia Institute for Democracy
He was appointed Minister of Environment and Tourism in 2005, and was moved to the Youth, National Service, Sport and Culture portfolio in 2008.
Konjore was married to Elsie Atanasia Konjore from Vaalgras. They had five children. His wife died in 2013.{{Cite web | title=Beloved Mother of Vaalgras laid to rest | last=Upula | first=Levi | publisher=SWAPO | accessdate=1 August 2020 | url=http://www.swapoparty.org/beloved_mother_of_vaalgras_laid_to_rest.html | archive-date=30 August 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180830014948/http://www.swapoparty.org/beloved_mother_of_vaalgras_laid_to_rest.html | url-status=dead }} On Heroes' Day 2014 he was conferred the Most Brilliant Order of the Sun, Second Class.{{Cite news
|title=Namibians honoured by President
|newspaper=New Era
|date=28 August 2014
|url=http://www.newera.com.na/2014/08/28/namibians-honoured-by-president/
|access-date=29 August 2014
|archive-date=29 June 2018
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180629064451/https://www.newera.com.na/2014/08/28/namibians-honoured-by-president/
|url-status=dead
}} Willem Konjore died on 10 June 2021 in Windhoek.{{Cite news | title=Voormalige parlementslid en minister, eerwaarde Willem Konjore, sterf in Windhoek | trans-title=Former Head of Parliament and Minister, Honourable Willem Konjore, dies in Windhoek | language=af | date=11 June 2021 | newspaper=Republikein | publisher=NAMPA | url=https://www.republikein.com.na/nuus/voormalige-parlementslid-en-minister-eerwaarde-willem-konjore-sterf-in-windhoek2021-06-11/}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Konjore, Willem}}
Category:People from ǁKaras Region
Category:Members of the National Assembly (Namibia)
Category:Namibian Christian clergy
Category:Environment and tourism ministers of Namibia
Category:Youth ministers of Namibia
Category:Sports ministers of Namibia
Category:Culture ministers of Namibia
{{Namibia-politician-stub}}