The Man Who Named Namibia- Mburumba Kerina

British poet WH Auden said that a man is a history-making creature who can neither repeat his past nor leave it behind. These are the sentiments of 82-year-old Mburumba Kerina also.

He is a man who has seen, heard and played a great part in the liberation of this nation. Those who have done a bit of digging will know that he is the first black man to petition the United Nations on conditions faced by Namibians at the hands of the South African apartheid government. Also, he is the man who coined the name ‘Namibia’.

Previously known as Eric William Getzen, Mburumba Kerina decided to change his name after understanding where it came from.

“I was given that name by missionaries when my rights as a baby were not recognised. But when I became politically conscious, I divorced that name and became known as Mburumba.”

“I was born on 6 June 1932 in Tsumeb. I am an only child and when I was three months old, my parents moved to Walvis Bay. I grew up with the likes of Ben Amadhila as well as the Hipondoka and Shipanga families in the old location of Walvis Bay.” Kerina was a man known for keeping to himself from a young age. “I was a very quiet boy, I didn’t speak much and people thought that I was deaf.”

Kerina reminisced about his scholarly days and remembered how pastors had a huge influence in his life. “My first school was a Roman Catholic Mission school. After reaching my Standard Two (Grade 4) , the inspector of the school at the time found me repeating my grades again and urged the principal to transfer me to the Rhenish Lutheran School. I passed, but ended up repeating Standard Three (Grade 5) and again, he convinced the principal to transfer me to St Barnabas Anglican Church School in Windhoek.”

This change brought about Kerina’s exposure to Namibian politics. He resided with his uncle, Aaron Kepere, a Chief Council member under Chief Hosea Kutako at the time. This exposure helped him understand the world around him, especially in context of what was happening in Namibia was in at the time. But Kepere was not the only great influence in Kerina’s life.

“In 1946, Reverend Michael Scott arrived in Namibia to establish a relationship with Hosea Kutako and the Chief Council. He was a gentleman and very English. He didn’t shout and he was a friend of everybody, including all the children and older people. Scott would put up a tent behind St Barnabas and during the day, he would go around the locations like a tourist, observing the conditions of the people. At night, he met with the Chief Council to put together petitions to hand over to the United Nations.”

After Kerina was done with school, he went to an AME Church in South Africa. “I remember the name of the school to be Wilberforce Community College. The name came from an English man who dedicated his life to Black Americans who were slaves.”

Kerina was able to study in Indonesia, under the fellowship of Dr President Sukarno, and he was invited to have tea with Sukarno in his palace. “We talked about his country and mine as well. He asked me, “What is the name of your country?” I said, “South-West Africa”.

“That’s not a name, that is a geographical area. My son, slaves and dogs are named by their masters. Free men name themselves.”

This inspired Kerina’s search to rename South West Africa. Soon after this inspiring conversation, Kerina met up with Scott who brought him the Johannesburg Sunday Times newspaper that included an article about a white American industrialist. The industrialist travelled on a ship, equipped with a vacuum cleaner that mined diamonds and through this, he became rich.

“It happened at the time that South Africa was trying to trying to incorporate Namibia to became its fifth province. He (Scott) told me to read it and asked me what I thought about it.” Kerina realised that Namibia was going to be annexed one day, and it would be the end of Namibia. Soon after, he wrote an article that their country should be named the ‘Republic of Namib’ and the nationality of the people must be referred to as Namibians.

“That gave us an identity internationally when the United Nations adopted this name with our party support, Swapo. The name became so popular that we couldn’t find a better name.” Alongside some of Namibia’s national heroes such as Chief Hosea Kutako, Reverend Michael Scott, the late Advocate Jariretundu Kozonguizi, and founding President Dr Sam Nujoma, Kerina petitioned the United Nations for Namibia on behalf of the Herero Chiefs’ Council.

Kerina is well-known as liberation pioneer, academic, politician as well as an author. But there is more to him than that. He is currently married to Evelhardine Kapuuo-Kerina and is known as the ‘professor’ to those who are close to him.

“I’m a father of three beautiful children – one girl and two boys.” he said. “All three are successful in their careers and they live abroad but they occasionally come to Namibia to visit.”

Kerina is influenced by Gandhi, his simplicity and the commitment to principals that he grieved in. Some of the books Kerina has published include ‘Namibia – The Making of a Nation’, as well as ‘Chief Kutako: The Chief and Legend’. “When I’m not working I write books. My third book titled ‘The Namibian Petitioners’ is in its editing process.”

Kerina has been a lecturer in the United States of America in 1979 and also worked as an Associate Professor in the African Studies Department at Brooklyn College of the City University of New York from 1972 to 1975.

Kerina received a PhD in Political Science at the Pandjaran State University of Bandung, Indonesia, and continued law studies at the American Extension School of Law in Chicago, Illinois after legal courses by correspondence for two years (1960 to 1962).

Kerina has had a seat in the Constituent Assembly of Namibia for the Federal Convention of Namibia (FDN), as well as held the position of Deputy Speaker of the House.

In 1990, he resigned from politics but returned in 1998 as the Regional Councillor for the Aminuis Constituency for the Democratic Turnhalle Alliance (DTA). Afterwards, he was elected to serve in the National Council.

In 2003, he quit DTA after being in the party for five years. From 2009 Kerina rejoined Swapo after being expelled in June 1961 for forming the Independence and National Convention Party.

When asked if he would retire any time soon, Kerina responded laughingly. “I have no plans of retiring. I will retire when I’m six feet down.”

• “We are doing a huge disservice to the youth by giving them promises that do not materialise.”

• “The youth must be proactive in politics.”

In an age of information overload, Sunrise is The Namibian’s morning briefing, delivered at 6h00 from Monday to Friday. It offers a curated rundown of the most important stories from the past 24 hours – occasionally with a light, witty touch. It’s an essential way to stay informed. Subscribe and join our newsletter community.