Immanuel Ngatjizeko

The Honourable Immanuel Ngatjizeko MP
Ngatjizeko in 2017
Minister of Presidential Affairs
In office February 2018 – February 2018
President	Hage Geingob
Preceded by	Frans Kapofi
Succeeded by	Martin Andjaba
Minister of Trade and Industry
In office March 2015 – February 2018
President	Hage Geingob
Preceded by	Calle Schlettwein
Succeeded by	Tjekero Tweya
In office 2005–2008
President	Hifikepunye Pohamba
Preceded by	Hidipo Hamutenya
Succeeded by	Hage Geingob
Minister of Safety and Security
In office December 2012 – March 2015
President	Hifikepunye Pohamba
Preceded by	Nangolo Mbumba
Succeeded by	Charles Namoloh
Minister of Labour and Social Welfare
In office 2008 – December 2012
President	Hifikepunye Pohamba
Preceded by	Alpheus ǃNaruseb
Succeeded by	Doreen Sioka
Director-General of the National Planning Commission
In office 2003 – March 2012
President	Sam Nujoma
Preceded by	Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila
Deputy Minister of Mines and Energy
In office March 2000 – March 2005
President	Sam Nujoma
Succeeded by	Doreen Sioka
Personal details
Born	(1952-05-30)30 May 1952 Otjohorongo, South West Africa
Died	5 March 2022(2022-03-05) (aged 69)
Nationality	Namibian
Political party	SWAPO
Residence(s)	Windhoek, Namibia
Alma mater	University of Fort Hare
Occupation	Politician
Profession	Accountant

Immanuel Ngatjizeko (30 May 1952 – 5 March 2022) was a Namibian politician and member of the ruling SWAPO Party. He held five ministerial portfolios from 2003 until his retirement in 2018.

Early life and education

Immanuel Ngatjizeko was born in Otjohorongo, a village near Omaruru in Namibia's central Erongo Region. He attended the Augustineum Secondary School in Windhoek and then went to study at Fort Hare in South Africa. He graduated with a Diploma in Commerce and Administration in 1976.

After his return to South West Africa he worked at the Council of Churches in Namibia until 1994, heading its Finance Department. He then started working full time for SWAPO, first as Managing Director of its investment company Zebra Holdings, and from 1997 as party Secretary for Finance.

Political career

Ngatjizeko was a SWAPO party organiser from 1978. He served on the Internal National Executive Committee before Namibian independence. He was elected to SWAPO's Central Committee in 1991, and to the politburo in 2007.

Ngatjizeko was a member of Parliament from 2000, and member of the Cabinet from 2003, when he was appointed Director-General of the National Planning Commission, a position equivalent to that of a minister. From 2000 to 2005, he also served as Deputy Minister of Mines and Energy. In the 2005–2010 cabinet Ngatjizeko was first Minister of Trade and Industry and from 2008 Minister of Labour and Social Welfare. In the 2010–2015 cabinet he served as Minister of Labour and Social Welfare until 2012, and as Minister of Safety and Security for the remainder of the legislative period.

Under President Hage Geingob, Ngatjizeko moved back to the post of Minister of Industrialisation, Trade and SME Development in March 2015. In a Cabinet reshuffle in February 2018 he became Minister of Presidential Affairs but resigned shortly thereafter and retired due to health issues.

Personal life

Ngatjizeko died on 5 March 2022, at the age of 69.

Awards and recognition

On Heroes' Day 2014 he was conferred the Most Brilliant Order of the Sun, Second Class.