| Joel Kaapanda | |
|---|---|
| Minister of Information and Communication Technology | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 2005 |
|
| Personal details | |
| Born | 12 June 1945 Ovamboland, South West Africa |
| Nationality | Namibian |
| Political party | SWAPO |
| Occupation | Politician |
Joel N. Kaapanda (born 12 June, 1945) is a Namibian politician.[1] A member of the South West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO), Kaapanda has been a member of the National Assembly of Namibia since November 2002 and the Minister of Information and Communication Technology since March 2005. Prior to entering his current Ministry, Kaapanda was the Minister of Regional and Local Government and Housing from 2002-2005 and Namibia's first High Commissioner to India from 1995-2002.[2]
In the 1970s, Kaapanda began his career as a primary school teacher at Nambula Combined School, Omusati Region before joining SWAPO in exile as a political officer in the People's Liberation Army of Namibia from 1978-1981. From 1981-1986, Kaapanda was the leader of SWAPO students in Hamburg, Germany.