Quick Facts
Biography
McHenry Venaani (born 8 September 1977) is a Namibian politician and the president of the Democratic Turnhalle Alliance, a party with five seats in the National Assembly of Namibia. Venaani was a member of the National Assembly from 2002 to 2010. At the time of his appointment in 2002, he was Namibia's youngest ever MP.
Education
Born in Windhoek, Venaani is a graduate of Dawid Bezuidenhout High School in Khomasdal, Windhoek. He studied at the University of Wolverhampton.
Career
Considered a rising star in the DTA, Venaani ran for the top position in the party in 2005 against Katuutire Kaura. In that election, Venaani lost and also lost his position as party secretary general. In November 2008, Venaani retook his position as secretary general, beating Alois Gende by a margin of 111 to 35 in party elections.
Venaani was placed on DTA's electoral list prior to the 2009 general election, but the party did not receive enough votes for his re-election. In the 2013 DTA elective central committee meeting, Venaani defeated Kaura by a margin of 96 to 52 and assumed the party presidency. When Kaura was expelled from the DTA in February 2014, Venaani also took over his seat in Parliament, but a court case brought by Kaura days after the decision was not contested by the DTA, and Kaura was reinstated both as parliamentarian and party member.
Personal life
He has been married to Cloudina Venaani since 2005 and has two children.