Staff Reporter
LIEUTENANT General Joseph Shikongo, Commander in Chief of the Namibian Police Force, today announced the promotion of 4,682 police officers who were conferred new ranks based on merit and hard work.
The ceremony took place on Monday, 4 December, at the Israel Patrick Iyambo Police College and was accompanied by a parade. Lt. Gen. Shikongo said that the promotions would take effect from 1 December 2023, and include commissioned and non-commissioned officers. He added that of the promoted officers in the first phase, 2,638 are male, while 2,044 are female (44%).
From the number indicated above: (1,930) will be promoted from Constable to Sergeant 2; (1,445) will be promoted from Sergeant 2 to Sergeant 1; (600) will be promoted from Sergeant 1 to Warrant Officer 2, while (707) will be promoted from Warrant Officer 2 to Warrant Officer 1. “During today’s parade, I will, however, only confer ranks to fifty (50) officers from various Directorates and 1st Divisions, whereas the remaining will be conferred by their respective Regional Commanders,” Shikongo said.
Explaining the background of the exercise, Lt. Gen. Shikongo explained that the new Structure and Establishment of the Namibian Police Force were approved and signed by the Minister of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety, and Security on 21 August 2023.
“This resulted in the name change of some offices, as well as the upgrading, merging, establishing, and relocating of various functions. The new structure also resulted in the creation of vacant positions prompting the need to appoint fit and competent officers to head those positions. Complementing the aforesaid activities, it is imperative to highlight that Article 119 (2) of the Namibian Constitution makes provision for the Inspector-General of Police to make provision for a balanced structuring of the Force and shall have the power to make suitable appointments to the Police Force. Which is the reason why we are gathered here today and considering the fact that the last mass promotion was conducted in December 2020, with the exception of filling critical positions along the way,” Shikongo said.
He further said that the promotion of the aforementioned officers would not have been possible without the commitment and continuous support from the central government. “I, therefore, wish to emphasize that, while the Government continues to play its role in providing the necessary resources, through budgetary allocation, it is the duty of all of us to ensure that we complement what the Government is doing, by redoubling our efforts to delivering quality law enforcement services,” Shikongo said.
The Chief of police also stressed that members of the Force are promoted in recognition of their commitment and dedication to national duties. “Therefore, a promotion should not be seen as a mere decoration or just a reward to an officer or a member, but it comes with huge responsibilities over their shoulders; these include a high level of accountability, commitment, and honesty in upholding the rule of law,” Shikongo said.
