Joel Kaapanda

The Honourable
Joel Kaapanda
The Honourable Joel Kaapanda
Minister of Information and Communication Technology
	In office; 2008–2015
President	Hifikepunye Pohamba
Prime Minister	Nahas Angula; Hage Geingob
Preceded by	Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah
Succeeded by	Tjekero Tweya
Minister of Public Works, Transport and Communication
	In office; 2005–2008
President	Hifikepunye Pohamba
Prime Minister	Nahas Angula
Preceded by	Moses Amweelo
Succeeded by	Helmut Angula
Minister of Regional and Local Government, Housing and Rural Development
	In office; 2002–2005
President	Sam Nujoma
Prime Minister	Theo-Ben Gurirab
Preceded by	Nickey Iyambo
Succeeded by	John Pandeni
Personal details
Born	12 June 1945 (age 79); Ondukuta, Ovamboland, South West Africa (today Omusati Region, Namibia)
Nationality	Namibian
Political party	SWAPO
Occupation	Politician
Profession	Teacher, electrician

Joel Natangwe Kaapanda (born 12 June 1945) is a Namibian diplomat and politician. A member of the South West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO), Kaapanda was Namibia's first High Commissioner to India from 1995 to 2002 before becoming member of parliament, and subsequently minister.

Early life and education

Kaapanda was born on 12 June 1945 in Ondukuta in the Ovamboland of South West Africa, today the Omusati Region of Namibia. In the 1970s, Kaapanda began his career as a primary school teacher in the Omusati Region. He also attended the Paulinum Theological Seminary in Otjimbingwe between 1976 and 1978, and then became a political officer in the People's Liberation Army of Namibia (PLAN). In 1981 he went into German exile in Hamburg to become an electrician.^[1] From 1981 to 1986, Kaapanda was the leader of SWAPO students in Hamburg.^{[citation needed]}

After independence of Namibia in 1990, Kaapanda obtained academic degrees abroad, first a B.A. (1992) and a B.A. (Honours) in politics (1993) from University of Adelaide, Australia, then a postgraduate diploma in human resources (1998) from Indira Gandhi National Open University and a M.A. in political science (2000) from University of Delhi.^[1]

Career

In 1987 Kaapanda became SWAPO chief representative in Australia. From 1994 to 1995 he worked as general manager at Okahuro Fisheries before becoming Namibia's first High Commissioner to India in 1995. He served until September 2002 when then-president Sam Nujoma appointed him minister of regional and local government, housing and rural development. Kaapanda entered the National Assembly of Namibia as non-voting member in November 2002.^[2]

In 2005 Kaapanda became a voting member of the National Assembly after placing 7th on the SWAPO list. He was shifted to the Ministry of Public Works, Transport and Communication which he headed until 2008, and then to the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology, where he was minister until March 2015.^[2]

Kaapanda was not placed high enough in the SWAPO party list for the 2014 parliamentary election but entered parliament for a further short stint from January to March 2020.^[3]

Awards and recognition

On Heroes' Day 2014 he was conferred the Most Brilliant Order of the Sun, Second Class.^[4]

References

^ ^a ^b "Kaapanda Joel Natangwe". Parliament of Namibia. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
^ ^a ^b Profile Archived 2011-06-11 at the Wayback Machine at Namibia Institute for Democracy, 2007
^ Matthys, Donald (6 January 2020). "SWAPO appoints new members to parliament". Namibia Economist.
^ "Namibians honoured by President". New Era. 28 August 2014. Archived from the original on 29 June 2018. Retrieved 29 August 2014.

[Parliament-1] "Kaapanda Joel Natangwe". Parliament of Namibia. Retrieved 8 July 2022.

[nid-2] Profile Archived 2011-06-11 at the Wayback Machine at Namibia Institute for Democracy, 2007

[new-3] Matthys, Donald (6 January 2020). "SWAPO appoints new members to parliament". Namibia Economist.

[4] "Namibians honoured by President". New Era. 28 August 2014. Archived from the original on 29 June 2018. Retrieved 29 August 2014.

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