The Namibian Defence Force (NDF) comprises the national military forces of Namibia. It was created when the country,then known as South West Africa,gained independence from apartheid South Africa in 1990. Chapter 15 of the Constitution of Namibia establishes the NDF and defines its role and purpose as," ... to defend the territory and national interests of Namibia".
The history of Namibia has passed through several distinct stages from being colonised in the late nineteenth century to Namibia's independence on 21 March 1990.
The South West Africa People's Organisation,officially known as the SWAPO Party of Namibia,is a political party and former independence movement in Namibia. Founded in 1960,it has been the governing party in Namibia since the country achieved independence in 1990. The party continues to be dominated in number and influence by the Ovambo ethnic group.
Hidipo Livius Hamutenya was a Namibian politician. A long time leading member of the South West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO),Hamutenya was a member of the Cabinet of Namibia from independence in 1990 to 2004,serving in several important ministerial portfolios. He was defeated in a bid for the party's presidential nomination in 2004 and left SWAPO to form an opposition group,the Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP),in 2007. He was elected to the National Assembly of Namibia with RDP in the 2009 general election. He was forced to step down as RDP president on 28 February 2015 and rejoined SWAPO on 28 August 2015.
Hifikepunye Lucas Pohamba is a Namibian politician who served as the second president of Namibia from 21 March 2005 to 21 March 2015. He won the 2004 presidential election overwhelmingly as the candidate of SWAPO,and was reelected in 2009. Pohamba was the president of SWAPO from 2007 until his retirement in 2015. He is a recipient of the Ibrahim Prize.
Nahas Gideon Angula is a Namibian politician who served as the third Prime Minister of Namibia from 21 March 2005 to 4 December 2012. He was succeeded by Hage Geingob in a cabinet reshuffle after the 2012 SWAPO Party congress. He subsequently served as Minister of Defence from 2012 to 2015.
Hage Gottfried Geingob is a Namibian politician,serving as the third president of Namibia since 21 March 2015. Geingob was the first Prime Minister of Namibia from 1990 to 2002,and served as prime minister again from 2012 to 2015. Between 2008 and 2012 Geingob served as Minister of Trade and Industry. He is also the current president of the ruling SWAPO Party since his election to the position in November 2017.
Ngarikutuke Ernest Tjiriange was a Namibian politician,a member of the National Assembly and former secretary-general of the ruling SWAPO Party. He also served in the Namibian cabinet from 1990 to 2010,first as Minister of Justice,then without portfolio,and then as Minister of Veteran Affairs.
Pendukeni "Penny" Iivula-Ithana is a Namibian politician who served as the secretary general of SWAPO,Namibia's ruling party,from 2007 to 2012. She was a member of the Constituent Assembly of Namibia in 1989 and has been a member of Parliament and member of cabinet since independence in 1990.
Major General Charles Dickson Ndaxu Phillip Namoloh is a Namibian diplomat,politician and military figure who served in the cabinet of Namibia as Minister of Safety and Security from March 2015 to March 2020. Namoloh has been a member of the National Assembly of Namibia since 2005;having served as Minister of Defence from 2005 to 2012 and Minister of Regional and Local Government,Housing and Rural Development from 2012 to 2015.
Alpheus ǀGou-ǃna ǃNaruseb is a Namibian politician who has served in the cabinet of Namibia in various portfolios. A member of the South West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO),!Naruseb has served in the cabinet since 1997 and the National Assembly since 1995.
Victor Simunja is a Namibian politician. A member of the South West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO),Simunja was appointed to the National Assembly of Namibia in 2000 and served as Deputy Minister of Defense from 2000 to 2009. Simunja rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel in the Namibian Defence Force prior to entering political office. He is a member of the Mafwe ethnic group,indigenous to the Caprivi Strip.
Nickey Iyambo was a Namibian politician and physician who served as the first Vice President of Namibia.
Elia George Kaiyamo is a Namibian politician. A member of SWAPO,Kaiyamo was an internal organizer and teacher for SWAPO prior to independence. He served in the Cabinet of Namibia as Deputy Minister of Home Affairs and Immigration from 2010 to 2015. On 2 September 2016,President Hage Geingob appointed Kaiyamo as Ambassador-designate to the People's Republic of China.
Erastus Amutenya Uutoni is a Namibian SWAPO politician who has served in the cabinet of Namibia since March 2010.
Leon Jooste is a Namibian politician and businessperson who served as Minister of Public Enterprises until 1 December 2022.
Lieutenant General Martin Shalli is a former Namibian diplomat and military commander. In 2005,he was appointed as Namibia's High Commissioner to Zambia by President Sam Nujoma,but he was recalled in October 2006 by Nujoma's successor,Hifikepunye Pohamba,and appointed as Chief of the Namibia Defence Force (NDF). He replaced controversial NDF commander Solomon Huwala,and he was replaced as High Commissioner to Zambia by regional councillor Solomon Witbooi.
The Cabinet of Namibia is an appointed body that was established by Chapter 6 of the Constitution of Namibia. It is mandated to include the following positions:the President of Namibia,the Prime Minister of Namibia and any positions that the President so appoints.
The Chief of the Defence Force (CDF) is the professional head of the Namibian Defence Force. He is responsible for the administration and the operational control of the Namibian military. The position was established after Namibia became independent in 1990. The current chief is Air Marshal Martin Pinehas,he succeeded Lieutenant general John Mutwa.
