Nickey Iyambo facts for kids

Nickey Iyambo (born May 20, 1936 – died May 19, 2019) was an important Namibian politician and a physician. He made history as the very first Vice President of Namibia.

He was a member of the SWAPO political party. Iyambo was part of the Cabinet of Namibia from the time Namibia became independent in March 1990. He held many important jobs in the government. He was the Minister of Health and Social Services from 1990 to 1996. Later, he became the Minister of Regional and Local Government and Housing (1996–2002). He also served as Minister of Mines and Energy (2002–2005), Minister of Agriculture, Water and Forestry (2005–2008), and Minister of Safety and Security (2008–2010). From 2010, he was the Minister of Veteran Affairs.

In 2015, he took on the new role of Vice President and served until 2018. He stepped down from this role because of health reasons. Even after that, he continued to lead the Ministry of Veterans' Affairs until he passed away.

Early Life and Education

Where Was Nickey Iyambo Born?

Nickey Iyambo was born in a place called Onayena. This area was part of Ovamboland in South West Africa. Today, it is in the Oshikoto Region of northern Namibia.

His Schooling and First Job

He went to a school that was started by Finnish missionaries near his home. After finishing school, he got a job as Namibia's first Black postmaster. This was from 1962 to 1963.

Joining SWAPO and Going into Exile

Iyambo became a member of the SWAPO party in 1960. In 1964, he had to leave Namibia and go into exile with SWAPO. He traveled a long way on foot through Angola, then to Zambia, and finally to Tanzania. He was one of the first SWAPO members to leave the country. He helped build a strong relationship between SWAPO and Julius Nyerere's Tanzania.

Studying in Finland

In late 1965, Iyambo arrived in Finland. A group called Ylioppilaiden kansainvälinen apu (YKA), which means ‘Students’ International Relief’, offered him a scholarship. Their director, Martti Ahtisaari, helped arrange this. In Finland, Iyambo lived in student housing and shared a room with Erkki Liikanen, who later became a famous politician.

He first learned the Finnish language. He also joined in student life and made many Finnish friends. Through him, Finns learned more about African issues. Iyambo also learned about how the Finnish welfare state worked and how politics happened in a democracy.

University Degrees

Iyambo first studied political science at the University of Helsinki. He earned a bachelor's degree and then a master's degree in 1970. After that, he studied medicine. He became a bachelor of medicine and, in 1980, earned a degree that allowed him to work as a medical doctor. During his studies, he was active in the Student Union. From 1966 to 1971, he also represented SWAPO in Finland and other Nordic countries.

Political Career and Leadership

Medical Work in Angola

After finishing his medical studies, Iyambo moved to Angola. He became the head of medical services at the Kwanza Sul refugee camp.

Return to Namibia and Independence

Around the time Namibia was becoming independent, Iyambo was one of the first SWAPO leaders to return. He helped prepare the country for elections and welcome back other Namibians who had been in exile. It was special that Martti Ahtisaari, his old friend from Finland, was leading the process for Namibia's independence.

Serving as a Minister

When Namibia gained independence in March 1990, Iyambo became the Minister of Health and Social Services. He held this job until 1996. After that, he served in many other important ministerial roles:

• Minister of Regional and Local Government and Housing (1996–2002)
• Minister of Mines and Energy (2002–2005)
• Minister of Agriculture, Water and Forestry (2005–2008)
• Minister of Safety and Security (2008–2010)
• Minister of Veteran Affairs (2010–2015)

By 2014, he was the oldest member of parliament for SWAPO.

First Vice President of Namibia

On March 21, 2015, Nickey Iyambo was sworn in as the first Vice President of Namibia. This was alongside President Hage Geingob. As Vice President, he continued to lead the Ministry of Veterans Affairs. He had two deputy ministers working with him: Alexia Manombe-Ncube and Royal ǀUiǀoǀoo.

In April 2016, some people thought his role as Vice President was mostly for show. But President Geingob and Iyambo explained that this was not true. Iyambo said he had a very busy schedule that kept him working late every day.

Retirement and Final Years

In February 2018, President Hage Geingob removed Iyambo from the Vice President position. This was due to his health. Nangolo Mbumba was appointed as his successor. However, Iyambo kept his job as the Minister of Veteran Affairs and Marginalised People. He also kept his seat in parliament.

Nickey Iyambo passed away on May 19, 2019, at his home in Windhoek, Namibia. He died after a long illness, just one day before his 83rd birthday. Because of his important role and achievements, Namibia gave him a state funeral.

Awards and Honours

• 2011: On March 18, 2011, the President of Finland, Tarja Halonen, gave Iyambo the rank of Commander, First Class, of the Order of the Lion of Finland. This is a very high honour.
• 2014: On Heroes' Day in 2014, he received the Most Brilliant Order of the Sun, First Class. This is another top award in Namibia.