| Victor Simunja | |
|---|---|
| Deputy Minister of Defence | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 2000 |
|
| Personal details | |
| Born | 23 March 1958 South West Africa |
| Nationality | Namibian |
| Political party | SWAPO |
| Occupation | Soldier, Politician |
| Religion | Christian |
Victor Simunja (born 23 March 1958 at Linyanti, Caprivi Region) is a Namibian politician. A member of the South West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO), Simunja has been a member of the National Assembly of Namibia and deputy Defense Minister since 2000. Simunja rose to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Namibian Defence Force prior to entering political office.[1] He is a member of the Mafwe ethnic group, indigenous to the Caprivi Strip.
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Simunja began his military career in 1975 at the age of 17, fleeing into exile in Zambia. Simunja rose the ranks of the People's Liberation Army of Namibia, the military wing of SWAPO during the Namibian War of Independence. He served in a Cuban artillery regiment in Angola. He trained in both the Soviet Union (Vystrel Military Academy in 1982) and United States (Fort Leavenworth from 1992-1993).[2] In 1990, President Sam Nujoma appointed the Caprivi native as Captain in the Presidential Guard of Honour. From 1991-92, Simunja was based in Oshakati as second in command of the 21C battalion. Simunja was the top instructor at the Okahandja Military School in Okahandja from 1993-1994. 1994 and 1995 saw Simunja stationed as Staff Operating Officer at the army headquarters in Grootfontein.
Simunja led Namibian military operations in the Caprivi region in 1999 and 2000 against UNITA rebels during the final stages of the Angolan Civil War. Simunja came to even greater international prominence in January 2000 when he displayed 81 suspected UNITA rebels to the media at Rundu[2]
Simunja was first appointed to the National Assembly as a non-voting member in 2000 by President Nujoma. He was placed at the relatively safe spot of number 24 on SWAPO's National Assembly list prior to the 2004 parliamentary election, which allowed him to return to the National Assembly. In 2002, Simunja came out against private ownership of firearms during a debate in the National Assembly.[2]