Peter Tsheehama
Encyclopedia
Angura Peter Tshirumbu Tsheehama (1941–2010) was a commander in the People's Liberation Army of Namibia
, diplomat, Chief of Intelligence, and Namibia
n minister.
Teacher's Training College from 1963 to 1964 and afterwards taught at Iipanda ya Amithi in northern Namibia. Tsheehama entered SWAPO soon after its inception. In January 1966 he went into exile
, first to Botswana
where he taught literacy classes, then to Zambia
where he furthered his own education. In 1969 he graduated from Nkumbi International College with a qualification in politics.
He then moved to Angola
, and from there to Russia
where in the 1970s he studied at the Lenin Institute of Ideological Studies in Moscow
. In 1984, he received a Diploma in Military Science in Yugoslavia
. He moved to Havana
, Cuba
, that same year to represent SWAPO in Central and South America and the Caribbean. Tsheehama only returned to Namibia 1989, short before the country became independent.
Even as Namibian Minister, Tsheehama kept a generally low profile and rarely gave interviews or hosted press conferences. He was married and had children. Tsheehama retired in 2008 due to medical problems. He died on 3 October 2010 in Otjiwarongo
and was buried in a state funeral
at Heroes' Acre near Windhoek
.
(PLAN) in 1969 and became commander
in the early 1970s. One year later he was appointed to the PLAN military council, and in 1976 he became SWAPO military attaché in Angola
. At that time he had risen to PLAN Deputy Chief of Administration. He was promoted to Chief of Administration in 1984.
, Zaire
in 1974 and at that time became the party representative to Central Africa, a position he held until 1986. He was elected to serve in the SWAPO Central Committee
since 1983, a position he held until 2002.
At the advent of Namibia's independence Tsheehama returned to Namibia. He was a member of the Constituent Assembly in 1989 and 1990 that drafted the Namibian Constitution
. After SWAPO won the 1990 elections, he deputised the Minister of State Security until 1994, and then became Special Advisor to president Sam Nujoma
on National Security. From 2005 to 2008 he served as Minister for Safety and Security.
Peter Tsheehama headed the Namibian Intelligence Service since independence although his title changed several times. During his service the institution became informally known as Tshirumbu's people, in reference to one of his first names.
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...
, diplomat, Chief of Intelligence, and Namibia
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 minister.
Biography
Tsheehama was born on 31 March 1941 at Onangodhi in the Omusati Region. He was educated at DöbraDobra
-Geography:rivers:* Dobra , a tributary of the Kupa river, Croatia* Dobra , a river in the Amieva district of Asturias, Spainsettlements* Dobrá, Frýdek-Místek, a village in the Moravian-Silesian Region, Czech Republic...
Teacher's Training College from 1963 to 1964 and afterwards taught at Iipanda ya Amithi in northern Namibia. Tsheehama entered SWAPO soon after its inception. In January 1966 he went into exile
Exile
Exile means to be away from one's home , while either being explicitly refused permission to return and/or being threatened with imprisonment or death upon return...
, first to Botswana
Botswana
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...
where he taught literacy classes, then to Zambia
Zambia
Zambia , officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west....
where he furthered his own education. In 1969 he graduated from Nkumbi International College with a qualification in politics.
He then moved to 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...
, and from there to Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
where in the 1970s he studied at the Lenin Institute of Ideological Studies in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
. In 1984, he received a Diploma in Military Science in Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
. He moved to Havana
Havana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
, Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
, that same year to represent SWAPO in Central and South America and the Caribbean. Tsheehama only returned to Namibia 1989, short before the country became independent.
Even as Namibian Minister, Tsheehama kept a generally low profile and rarely gave interviews or hosted press conferences. He was married and had children. Tsheehama retired in 2008 due to medical problems. He died on 3 October 2010 in Otjiwarongo
Otjiwarongo
Otjiwarongo is a city of 20,000 inhabitants in the Otjozondjupa Region of Namibia. It is the district capital of the Otjiwarongo electoral constituency and also the capital of Otjozondjupa....
and was buried in a state funeral
State funeral
A state funeral is a public funeral ceremony, observing the strict rules of protocol, held to honor heads of state or other important people of national significance. State funerals usually include much pomp and ceremony as well as religious overtones and distinctive elements of military tradition...
at Heroes' Acre near 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...
.
Military carrier
Tsheehama joined the People's Liberation Army of NamibiaPeople'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 1969 and became commander
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
in the early 1970s. One year later he was appointed to the PLAN military council, and in 1976 he became SWAPO military attaché in 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...
. At that time he had risen to PLAN Deputy Chief of Administration. He was promoted to Chief of Administration in 1984.
Political carrier
Tsheehama joined SWAPO in the early 1960s and remained a member until he died. He set up a SWAPO office at KatangaKatanga Province
Katanga Province is one of the provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Between 1971 and 1997, its official name was Shaba Province. Under the new constitution, the province was to be replaced by four smaller provinces by February 2009; this did not actually take place.Katanga's regional...
, Zaire
Zaire
The Republic of Zaire was the name of the present Democratic Republic of the Congo between 27 October 1971 and 17 May 1997. The name of Zaire derives from the , itself an adaptation of the Kongo word nzere or nzadi, or "the river that swallows all rivers".-Self-proclaimed Father of the Nation:In...
in 1974 and at that time became the party representative to Central Africa, a position he held until 1986. He was elected to serve in the SWAPO Central Committee
Central Committee
Central Committee was the common designation of a standing administrative body of communist parties, analogous to a board of directors, whether ruling or non-ruling in the twentieth century and of the surviving, mostly Trotskyist, states in the early twenty first. In such party organizations the...
since 1983, a position he held until 2002.
At the advent of Namibia's independence Tsheehama returned to Namibia. He was a member of the Constituent Assembly in 1989 and 1990 that drafted the Namibian Constitution
Constitution of Namibia
The Constitution of Namibia is the constitution of theRepublic of Namibia. Adopted in February 1990, a month prior to Namibia's independence from apartheid South Africa, it was written by an elected constituent assembly.-Preamble:...
. After SWAPO won the 1990 elections, he deputised the Minister of State Security until 1994, and then became Special Advisor to president Sam Nujoma
Sam Nujoma
Samuel Daniel Shafiishuna Nujoma is a Namibian politician who was the first President of Namibia from 1990 to 2005. He led the South-West Africa People's Organisation in its long struggle against South African rule and took office as President when Namibia obtained independence on 21 March 1990...
on National Security. From 2005 to 2008 he served as Minister for Safety and Security.
Peter Tsheehama headed the Namibian Intelligence Service since independence although his title changed several times. During his service the institution became informally known as Tshirumbu's people, in reference to one of his first names.