Councillor Queen Omagano Kamati was born in the Omukondo-Ongozi villages, in the Okahao Constituency of the Omusati region and raised in Ogongo Agricultural College and Oshakati West in Northern Namibia. She joined the Municipal Council of Windhoek in December 2020, representing the governing party, SWAPO. Before she was elected as Windhoek Mayor on 01 December 2023, she served on the Council’s Management Committee in 2023, playing a crucial role in the city’s governance.

 

Her political journey began in 2006 at a very tender age when she joined the SWAPO Party and the Party’s youth league wing memberships, swiftly ascending through various positions. She held key roles in the SPYL Khomas Region such as Section Chairperson and Branch Secretary for Kameeta No 2, Shikolonya Branch (Soweto) from 2010 to 2012, SPYL Branch and District Secretary for Information, Publicity, and Mobilization for John Pandeni District from 2013 to 2016. As of 2017, she has been serving as the Regional Secretary for Information, Publicity and Mobilization for SPYL in Khomas Region and actively participated in the mass mobilization within student politics at the then Polytechnic of Namibia SPYL Special Branch, while also serving as a member of the Regional Executive Committee of the Khomas Region.

 

 

Equally, from 2018, she served as a representative of The National Union of Namibian Workers (NUNW) in John Pandeni District serving in the District Executive Committee representing the interests of the workers. In August 2022, she acceded to the SWAPO party structure as the Regional Information and Mobilization Officer for SWAPO Party in Khomas Region as a candidate of the NUNW. Additional, following her election into Council in 2020, Kamati serves as Chief Whip for the City of Windhoek’s SWAPO Councillors. Similarly, she has served as the Coordinator for the Founding President’s, H.E. Dr. Sam Shafiishuna Nujoma, 89th, 90th and 94th birthday celebration under the Sam Nujoma Foundation. As part of her role as Mayor, Kamati also governs the Windhoek Mayoral Residents Trust that provides aid to those most vulnerable in the communities of Windhoek.

 

Cllr. Kamati is an active contributor to the City of Windhoek Council structures, serving on subcommittees like Provision of Basic Services, Economic Development, Public Safety and Citizens Welfare, Audit and Risk and the Heritage Committee. Additionally, she represents the City as a trustee to the Retirement Fund for Local Authorities and Utility Services in Namibia (RFLAUN).

 

Her academic achievements, including a Bachelor of Business Management Honours, a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing, a Diploma in Marketing and Sales from the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST), and a certificate in Compliance Management from the University of Cape Town (UCT), highlight her commitment to education and continuous learning. Currently pursuing a Postgraduate Diploma in Project Management with the Stellenbosch Business School in South Africa, she showcases a dedication to personal and professional growth.
Before her political tenure, Cllr Kamati made significant contributions to the Development Bank of Namibia (DBN), holding roles in the Marketing and Corporate Communications as well as the Credit Risk Department respectively and later serving as the Personal Assistant to the former Deputy Minister of Labour, Industrial Relations, and Employment Creation.

 

Councillor Kamati, a youthful leader herself, has a rich background in local politics and structural leadership and brings to the mayorship a passion for youth engagement in the City’s development. She aims to lead Windhoek towards a future of progress and inclusivity, promoting youth participation and the implementation of UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the local level. Moreover, she plans to champion initiatives within the city to promote improved sanitation throughout the City.