This is a list of Namibians who are famous.
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.
Samuel Shafiishuna Daniel Nujoma, is a Namibian revolutionary, anti-apartheid activist and politician who served three terms as the first President of Namibia, from 1990 to 2005. Nujoma was a founding member and the first president of the South West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) in 1960. Prior to 1960, SWAPO was known as the Ovambo People's Organisation (OPO). He played an important role as leader of the national liberation movement in campaigning for Namibia's political independence from South African rule. He established the People's Liberation Army of Namibia (PLAN) in 1962 and launched a guerrilla war against the apartheid government of South Africa in August 1966 at Omugulugwombashe, beginning after the United Nations withdrew the mandate for South Africa to govern the territory. Nujoma led SWAPO during the lengthy Namibian War of Independence, which lasted from 1966 to 1989.
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.
Herman Andimba Toivo ya Toivo was a Namibian anti-apartheid activist, politician and political prisoner. Ya Toivo was active in the pre-independence movement, and is one of the co-founders of the South West African People's Organisation (SWAPO) in 1960, and before that, its predecessor the Ovamboland People's Organization (OPO) in 1959.
The Ovamboland People's Organization (OPO) was a nationalist organization that existed between 1959 and 1960 in South West Africa. The aim of the organization was to end the South African colonial administration, and the placement of South West Africa under the United Nations Trusteeship system. Andimba Toivo ya Toivo had founded its predecessor, the Ovamboland People's Congress, in 1957 in Cape Town, South Africa. In 1959, Sam Nujoma and Jacob Kuhangua established the Ovamboland People's Organization (OPO) at the Old Location in Windhoek. Sam Nujoma was the president of OPO until its transformation into the South West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) a year later and remained president until Namibia gained independence in 1990.
Fanuel Jariretundu Kozonguizi was a Namibian lawyer and politician. He served as permanent petitioner to the United Nations on the issue of Namibian independence, and was a high-ranking administrator in South-West Africa prior to Namibian independence, both under South African administration and in the Transitional Government. In independent Namibia he was a member of Parliament and ombudsman. Kozonguizi was a founding member and first president of the South West African National Union.
Heroes' Acre is an official war memorial of the Republic of Namibia. Built into the uninhabited hills 10 kilometres (6 mi) south of the city centre of Windhoek, Heroes' Acre opened on 26 August 2002. It was created to "foster a spirit of patriotism and nationalism, and to pass [this] to the future generations of Namibia".
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.
Erkki Nghimtina is a Namibian politician and former military officer in the Namibia Defence Force (NDF). A member of the South West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO), Nghimtina served as member of the National Assembly of Namibia from 1995 to 2020. He served in various cabinet roles from 2005 to 2020.
Helmut Pau Kangulohi Angula is a Namibian businessman, politician, former cabinet minister and writer. He is currently the director of various private companies, after leaving government in 2010, and a longtime member of the central committee and the politburo of the ruling SWAPO party.
Kazenambo Kazenambo, commonly known as KK, was a Namibian politician.
Teopolina Mushelenga is a Namibian politician. A member of SWAPO, she was first elected to the National Assembly of Namibia in the 1999 elections, and was subsequently reelected in 2004. After the election of Hifikepunye Pohamba that year, she was appointed deputy minister for home affairs and immigration. Prior to the 2009 general election, Mushelenga was placed 59th on SWAPO's electoral list of 72 candidates for the National Assembly. The top 54 SWAPO candidates on the list were elected, leaving her out of the National Assembly.
John Ya-Otto was a Namibian teacher, trade unionist, politician, author and diplomat.
Peter Mweshihange was a Namibian revolutionary and guerrilla leader, and after Namibian independence, a politician and diplomat. He was the Namibia's first Minister of Defence from 1990 to 1995, and first ambassador to the People's Republic of China from 1996 until his death.
George Tuliameni Kalomoh is a Namibian politician and diplomat. He is a former ambassador of SWAPO to India, ambassador of Namibia to the United States of America, assistant secretary-general in the United Nations, and deputy minister of foreign affairs.
William Werner Mwaningange is a Namibian politician who has served in the Cabinet of Namibia as Deputy Minister of Defence since 2015. A member of SWAPO, Mwaningange was elected to the National Assembly of Namibia in the 2009 general election. He previously served as Governor of Ohangwena Region and since 2008 he has been a member of the SWAPO Central Committee.
Hadino Timothy Hishongwa was a Namibian politician, diplomat, parliamentarian, and a founding member of SWAPO.
Sakeus Edward Twelityaamena "Sacky" Shanghala is a Namibian lawyer and politician who served as the Minister of Justice from 8 February 2018 until November 2019 when he was forced to resign in the wake of the Fishrot scandal. He previously also served as Attorney General of Namibia from 2015 to 2018. Shanghala is a former chairperson of the Law Reform and Development Commission which he chaired between 2010 and 2015.
Peter Hitjitevi Katjavivi is a Namibian politician who is the Speaker of the National Assembly of Namibia since March 2015 and the chancellor of the Namibia University of Science and Technology from 1992 to 2003. Previously he was the founding Vice-Chancellor of the University of Namibia from 1992 to 2003, Ambassador to the European Union from 2003 to 2006, Ambassador to Germany from 2006 to 2008, and Director General of the National Planning Commission from 2008 to 2010.
Peter Hafeni Vilho is a Namibian politician and retired rear admiral who is a member of the Parliament of Namibia, a former Minister of Defence, and a former commander of the Namibian Navy. He was appointed the commander of the maritime wing of the Namibian Defence Force in 2002. In September 2017 he was appointed as executive director of the Ministry of Defence. In March 2020, Namibian president Hage Geingob appointed Vilho as the Minister of Defense and Veteran Affairs. Vilho served until his resignation in April 2021 after allegations of holding an undeclared bank account.
