A Namibian politician named Adolf Hitler Uunona is poised to win re-election this week in a local race that has again drawn global attention because of his name, even as he insists he has nothing to do with the Nazi leader or his ideology.
Uunona, 59, is seeking a second term as a regional councilor in the Ompundja constituency in northern Namibia. Voting is scheduled for Wednesday, November 26. He previously won the seat in 2020 with about 85 percent of the vote.
Since first coming to international notice five years ago, Uunona has repeatedly said his name reflects family history, not politics. He has explained that his father likely did not understand who Adolf Hitler was or what he represented when he chose the name. As a child, Uunona has said, he viewed it as normal, and only later grasped its global meaning.
He has publicly rejected any association with Hitler’s character or actions, saying he opposes everything linked to the Nazi dictator. At home, he is called Adolf, and in public he often uses Adolf Uunona, omitting Hitler. Still, he has said he will not change his name because it appears on all official documents and has been part of his identity for decades.
The case also highlights Namibia’s colonial past and the lingering imprint of German culture. The territory, once known as German South West Africa, was under German imperial rule from 1884 to 1915, and German names and place names have remained common in parts of the country. In some communities, European first names were passed down or adopted without the historical weight they carry elsewhere.
Online reactions to Uunona’s name have ranged from jokes to hateful comments, but locally his political support appears focused on his record and party affiliation rather than the notoriety attached to his name. He is a member of the ruling SWAPO party, and his expected victory underscores how little the controversy has mattered to voters in his constituency.