Staff Reporter
WEEKS after the death and burial of liberation struggle icon Mathias Kanana Hishoono, the Ohangwena Region and Namibia in general have been struck by the death of yet another veteran of the national liberation struggle and former minister, Erkki Nghimtina.
He died this morning at his residence in the Edundja village of the Oshikango constituency, Ohangwena Region.
The 79-year-old Nghimtina retired from active politics in 2020.
He joined the People’s Liberation Army of Namibia (PLAN) in 1974, trained in the then Soviet Union as a military radio specialist, and was PLAN’s chief of communications from 1983 to 1989.
At independence in 1990, he joined the newly created Namibian Defence Force (NDF) with the rank of colonel, but in 1995 switched to politics when Founding President Sam Nujoma appointed him as Deputy Defence Minister.
He has since headed several ministries, namely Defence (1997–2005), Mines and Energy (2005–2010), Works and Transport (2010–2015) and Labour (2015–2020).
Funeral arrangements will be announced in due course.
