Richard Nchabi Kamwi is a 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 medical physician and politician. A member of the National Assembly

National Assembly of Namibia

The National Assembly of Namibia is the lower chamber of the country's bicameral Parliament. It has a total of 78 members. 72 members are directly elected through a system of party-list proportional representation and serve five-year terms. Six additional members are appointed by the President.The...

 with the South West Africa People's Organization since 1999, Kamwi has been the Minister of Health and Social Services since March 2005.

Pre-independence

After graduating from the Technikon Mmadikoti in Pietersburg, 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...

 in 1980, he became the first black Health Inspector in Katima Mulilo

Katima Mulilo

Katima Mulilo is the capital of the Caprivi Strip, Namibia's far north–east extension into central Southern Africa. It comprises two electoral constituencies, Katima Mulilo Rural and Katima Mulilo Urban...

. He was fired from his position in 1984, was arrested for "subversive activities" the next year. Fleeing on foot to Botswana in January 1986, he joined SWAPO's military wing (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...

) until repatriation in 1989.

Return to Namibia

Kamwi resumed his position of health inspector until joining the National Assembly in 1999. In 2000, President Sam Nujoma appointed him to the post of Deputy Minister of Health and Social Services under Libertine Amathila

Libertine Amathila

Libertine Appolus Amathila is a Namibian physician and politician. She has been the Deputy Prime Minister of Namibia since March 2005.Amathila was born in Fransfontein, Kunene Region...

. Upon the promotion of Minister Amathila to the post of Deputy Prime Minister along with the election of President Hifikepunye Pohamba

Hifikepunye Pohamba

Hifikepunye Lucas Pohamba is the second and current President of Namibia. He won the 2004 and 2009 presidential elections overwhelmingly as the candidate of the South West Africa People's Organisation ruling party, taking office in March 2005. He has also been the President of SWAPO since...

, Kamwi was appointed to his current position.