Dimo Hamaambo
Encyclopedia
Mweukefina Kulaumone Jerobeam Dimo Hamaambo (27 October, 1932 - 8 September, 2002) was a Namibia
n military commander in both the Namibian War of Independence
as a SWAPO member and in independent Namibia as a high level commander in the Namibia Defence Force
.
(now Ohangwena Region
). After receiving some education in area schools, Hamaambo went to work outside of Ovamboland as a contract labourer on a White
owned farm as well as a domestic worker, at a cannery in Walvis Bay
and eventually in the gold mines of Johannesburg
, South Africa
. Hamaambo eventually returned to Namibia and joined the Ovamboland People's Organization
(OPO), a predecessor of the SWAPO, at Walvis Bay in 1959. In 1960-61, Hamaambo attempted to leave the country via a boat leaving Lobito
, Angola
for the United Kingdom
but was caught and returned to Namibia.
) and into Tanganyika
(now Tanzania
). From Tanzania, Hamaambo went for military training in newly independent Algeria
and later the Soviet Union
before becoming Second Deputy Army Commander of what was to become the People's Liberation Army of Namibia
(PLAN) in 1966, the year which began the Namibian War of Independence
. Quickly rising through the ranks, Hamaambo become First Deputy in 1967 and Army Commander in 1968. He remained Army Commander of PLAN forces until PLAN's absorption into the new Namibia Defence Force
in 1989. After PLAN's absorption, Hamaambo returned to Namibia prior to independence. Upon independence in March 1990, the PLAN veteran was named first Chief of Defence Forces, which lasted until his retirement in 2000 at the age 68. Hamaambo died in September 2002 and was the first person buried as a hero at Heroes' Acre, a war memorial south of Windhoek
.
Namibia
Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia , is a country in southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. It gained independence from South Africa on 21 March...
n military commander in both the Namibian War of Independence
Namibian War of Independence
See also South African Border War.The Namibian War of Independence, also known as the South African Border War, which lasted from 1966 to 1988, was a guerrilla war, which the nationalist South-West Africa People's Organization and others, fought against the apartheid government in South...
as a SWAPO member and in independent Namibia as a high level commander in the Namibia Defence Force
Military of Namibia
The Namibia Defence Force was created when South West Africa gained full independence from South Africa in 1989. The new constitution of Namibia defines the role of the military as "defending the territory and national interests."...
.
Pre-military career
Hamaambo was one of the thirteen children of his mother Josephina Melila Shipo and father Jona Hamaambo in Eengava, OvambolandOvamboland
Ovamboland was the name given by English-speaking visitors to the land occupied by the Ovambo people in what is now northern Namibia and southern Angola...
(now Ohangwena Region
Ohangwena Region
Ohangwena is one of the thirteen regions of Namibia. The northern and western parts of the region are the most densely populated of this essentially subsistence agricultural region in which small scale mahangu cultivation and the keeping of cattle form the predominant activities...
). After receiving some education in area schools, Hamaambo went to work outside of Ovamboland as a contract labourer on a White
Whites in Namibia
White Namibians are people of European or Southern African birth or descent living in Namibia. Most white Namibians are Afrikaners, while some are descended from German, Portuguese, or English immigrants.- Distribution :...
owned farm as well as a domestic worker, at a cannery in Walvis Bay
Walvis Bay
Walvis Bay , is a city in Namibia and the name of the bay on which it lies...
and eventually in the gold mines of Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. Hamaambo eventually returned to Namibia and joined the Ovamboland People's Organization
Ovamboland People's Organization
The Ovamboland People's Organization is a defunct nationalist organization that advocated an independent Ovamboland . Andimba Toivo ya Toivo and Sam Nujoma founded the OPO in 1959...
(OPO), a predecessor of the SWAPO, at Walvis Bay in 1959. In 1960-61, Hamaambo attempted to leave the country via a boat leaving Lobito
Lobito
Lobito is a town and municipality in Benguela Province in Angola.It dates from 1905 and owes its existence to the bay of the same name having been chosen as the sea terminus of the Benguela railway to the far interior, passing through Luau to Katanga in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The...
, Angola
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
for the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
but was caught and returned to Namibia.
Exile
Hamaambo finally went into exile in 1962 through Bechuanaland (now BotswanaBotswana
Botswana, officially the Republic of Botswana , is a landlocked country located in Southern Africa. The citizens are referred to as "Batswana" . Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name after becoming independent within the Commonwealth on 30 September 1966...
) and into Tanganyika
Tanganyika
Tanganyika , later formally the Republic of Tanganyika, was a sovereign state in East Africa from 1961 to 1964. It was situated between the Indian Ocean and the African Great Lakes of Lake Victoria, Lake Malawi and Lake Tanganyika...
(now Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
). From Tanzania, Hamaambo went for military training in newly independent Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
and later the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
before becoming Second Deputy Army Commander of what was to become the People's Liberation Army of Namibia
People's Liberation Army of Namibia
The People's Liberation Army of Namibia was the active military wing of the South West Africa People's Organization during the Namibian War of Independence. It sought independence for the territory from South African rule. PLAN launched its first attack on the South African military at...
(PLAN) in 1966, the year which began the Namibian War of Independence
Namibian War of Independence
See also South African Border War.The Namibian War of Independence, also known as the South African Border War, which lasted from 1966 to 1988, was a guerrilla war, which the nationalist South-West Africa People's Organization and others, fought against the apartheid government in South...
. Quickly rising through the ranks, Hamaambo become First Deputy in 1967 and Army Commander in 1968. He remained Army Commander of PLAN forces until PLAN's absorption into the new Namibia Defence Force
Military of Namibia
The Namibia Defence Force was created when South West Africa gained full independence from South Africa in 1989. The new constitution of Namibia defines the role of the military as "defending the territory and national interests."...
in 1989. After PLAN's absorption, Hamaambo returned to Namibia prior to independence. Upon independence in March 1990, the PLAN veteran was named first Chief of Defence Forces, which lasted until his retirement in 2000 at the age 68. Hamaambo died in September 2002 and was the first person buried as a hero at Heroes' Acre, a war memorial south of Windhoek
Windhoek
Windhoek is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Namibia. It is located in central Namibia in the Khomas Highland plateau area, at around above sea level. The 2001 census determined Windhoek's population was 233,529...
.