Katuutire Kaura

Katuutire Kaura (born 3 February 1941) is a Namibian politician. He has been President of the Democratic Turnhalle Alliance (DTA) since 1998 and Leader of the Official Opposition since 2000. [http://www.parliament.gov.na/ims/pub/biodatadetail.asp?e=66&i=96 Profile at Namibian Parliament website] .]

Kaura was born in Ombujondjupa, Otjozondjupa Region. He became an exile in the United States during the 1970s and taught high school at Nyack High School in Upper Nyack, New York from 1972 to 1978; he also taught at Rockland Community College from 1973 to 1975. During the same period, Kaura attended Long Island University and Columbia University.

From 1989 to 1998, Kaura was Vice-President of the DTA. After DTA President Mishake Muyongo expressed support for Caprivi secession in 1998, he was suspended from the DTA in August 1998, ["Namibia: Opposition party reportedly suspends leader", SAPA news agency (nl.newsbank.com), August 25, 1998.] and Kaura became DTA President."Namibia: Party leader says ex-opposition leader Muyongo should return, be tried", NBC Radio, Windhoek (nl.newsbank.com), October 31, 1998.] He called for Muyongo, who had fled into exile, to be brought back to Namibia and put on trial.

Immediately prior to independence, Kaura was a member of the Constituent Assembly, which was in place from November 1989 to March 1990. [ [http://www.parliament.gov.na/ims/pub/getindivs.asp?e=65&en=Constituent%20Assembly%20of%20Namibia%20November%201989%20-%20March%201990 List of members of the Constituent Assembly] , parliament.gov.na.] He has served as a member of the National Assembly of Namibia since independence in 1990. He ran for President of Namibia in 1999 and 2004, receiving 9.6 percent ["Political Parties of the World" (6th edition, 2005), ed. Bogdan Szajkowski, page 428.] [http://www.eisa.org.za/PDF/eu200403nam.pdf "ELECTION UPDATE 2004, NAMIBIA"] , EISA report, number 3, December 10, 2004, page 9.] and 5.12 percent of the vote, respectively. Following the 1999 election, he became Leader of the Official Opposition (composed of the DTA and the United Democratic Front) in April 2000.

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