Gaob Dr. Justus ǀUruhe ǁGaroëb (born 16 December 1942CV at Parliament website
) is the Gaob (King) of the ǂNūkhoe ǁAes ( Damara Nation) as of 1977 ear of customary designationand is the longest serving supreme traditional leader in recorded history. Historical accounts (both oral and academic) have it that most gaogu (kings) reigned for 25 years (average), whilst the nation celebrated the Sapphire Anniversary of the ǁGaroëb dynasty. He (just like most if not all pre-independence traditional leaders was active in national politics and was at the forefront of the Namibian struggle for Independence. Gaob Dr. ǁGaroëb was a staunch opponent of South African rule and led the oppositional Namibia National Front in the late 1970s and founded the United Democratic Front (UDF) in 1989. ǁGaroëb was born in ǃGuidiǁgams iterally Fountain of the Reed Dancersalias Omaruru,

Erongo Region Erongo is one of the 14 regions of Namibia. The capital is Swakopmund. It is named after Mount Erongo, a well-known landmark in Namibia and in this area. Erongo contains the municipalities of Walvis Bay, Swakopmund, Henties Bay and Omaruru, as ...

. He went to school at the Augustineum Training College in Okahandja and then started to study medicine at the University College of Zululand in

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...

. He did not finish his studies due to family obligations and lack of financial support. ǁGaroëb became a member of the Damara Advisory Council in 1971, and its chairman in 1977, succeeding Chief David ǁGoreseb. When between 1975 and 1977 the Turnhalle Constitutional Conference was held in Windhoek with the aim of developing a constitution for a self-governed Namibia under South African control, ǁGaroëb "refused to take part". Instead he oversaw the Damara Council to merge into the Namibia National Front (NNF), one of the groups opposing the Turnhalle Conference and its results, in 1977. He also became the first president of the NNF. In 1982, he became the Paramount Chief and Acting King of the Damara, and he has been King of the Damara since 1994. In 1989 ǁGaroëb founded the United Democratic Front (UDF). He has been the President of the UDF since that time. Immediately prior to independence, he was a UDF member of the

Constituent Assembly A constituent assembly (also known as a constitutional convention, constitutional congress, or constitutional assembly) is a body assembled for the purpose of drafting or revising a constitution. Members of a constituent assembly may be elected b ...

, which was in place from November 1989 to March 1990, and he has been a member of the

National Assembly In politics, a national assembly is either a unicameral legislature, the lower house of a bicameral legislature, or both houses of a bicameral legislature together. In the English language it generally means "an assembly composed of the repr ...

since 1990. He has stood for the presidency on three occasions. In

1999 1999 was designated as the International Year of Older Persons. Events January * January 1 – The euro currency is established and the European Central Bank assumes its full powers. * January 3 – The Mars Polar Lander is launc ...

, he placed fourth with 3.02% of the vote, in

2004 2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and Its Abolition (by UNESCO). Events January * January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 60 ...

he placed fifth with 3.83% of the vote, and in

2009 2009 was designated as the International Year of Astronomy by the United Nations to coincide with the 400th anniversary of Galileo Galilei's first known astronomical studies with a telescope and the publication of Astronomia Nova by Joha ...

he placed 5th with 2.37%. In

Kunene Region Kunene is one of the fourteen regions of Namibia. Its capital is Opuwo, its governor is Vipuakuje Muharukua. The region's name comes from the Kunene River which forms the northern border with Angola. Geography Besides the capital Opuwo, the reg ...

, he received 22.5% of the vote, including winning the most votes in Khorixas Constituency and Sesfontein Constituency.Presidential election results - Sesfontein Constituency, 2004
/ref>

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Garoeb, Justus 1942 births Living people People from Omaruru Damara people Namibian chiefs United Democratic Front (Namibia) politicians Members of the National Assembly (Namibia) Augustineum Secondary School alumni Candidates for President of Namibia