23-year-old Emma Theofilus Appointed Namibia’s Deputy Minister and Member of Parliament (MP)

23-year-old Namibian woman, Emma Theofilus has been appointed the country’s youngest minister. The appointment of Theofilus by President Hage Geingob as deputy information and technology minister also made her the Southern African country’s youngest member of parliament.

A law graduate, Theofilus was part of president Geingob’s list of eight non-voting members announced on Sunday and sworn Tuesday, The Namibian reports.

According to multiple reports, Theofilus was informed of her appointment through a “surprisingly rare” phone call from the State House that would change her life forever as one of the eight presidential nominees for the country’s national assembly and a deputy minister.

Her family is not in politics. She, however, has been politically active since high school. She was a Junior Mayor, Deputy Speaker of the Children’s Parliament in Namibia, a member of the Namibia National Students Organization (NANSO), she also works closely with Unicef and children’s rights (especially girls) are very close to her heart.

She is well known locally for her advocacy and brilliant mind. This was definitely a deserving appointment.