Inside the foreign ministry's family web

Over 38 named linked17 family networksAmbassadors and their childrenSiblings, spouses and cousinsEntry-level officers recruited every four yearsMIRT pressed on recruitment and disclosureA Namibian Sun investigation has found that at least 17 powerful families have relatives serving across the Ministry of International Relations and Trade, accounting for nearly 40 current and former employees, including ambassadors, diplomats and senior officials.The relationships include ambassadors and their children, siblings serving as foreign relations officers, spouses deployed to different diplomatic missions and employees related to senior administrative officials and political office-bearers.Some are based at headquarters in Windhoek, while others serve at embassies, high commissions and consulates abroad.The findings do not, on their own, establish nepotism or wrongdoing, but questions have been raised about the growing family networks within the ministry.Some government sources said relatives are not prohibited from working in the same ministry, while others questioned whether family relationships were declared.The international relations ministry employs about 325 people following the 2025 merger with the trade portfolio.Among the family networks identified are foreign relations officers Sorieta Sophia Hansen, Eveline Hansen and Riana Maasdorp.Sorieta and Eveline are sisters who married brothers from the Hansen family, while Maasdorp, née Cloete, is their first cousin. Sorieta serves as second secretary at Namibia's mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Eveline retired in 2024 after serving as deputy director in the ministry's bilateral division.She previously served as deputy head of mission in Ghana, while Maasdorp was selected for a posting to Congo.Sorieta confirmed that Eveline is her sister and Riana Maasdorp her cousin, but said all three entered the ministry through separate recruitment processes.“There is nothing wrong with family members working at the same institution if they have gone through a fair recruitment process and no relative was involved,” she told Namibian Sun.Sorieta said she joined the ministry in 2010 after applying for an advertised position, by which time her sister and cousin were already employed there.“I applied for the position after it was advertised and got in in 2010. My sister was not even in the country at the time. Both my sister and Riana joined years before me,” she said. She argued that qualified applicants should not be disqualified merely because they are related to existing employees, but confirmed that she was not asked to declare the relationships during her recruitment.“I do not believe people should be disqualified because they are related to one another. But I was also not requested to disclose our family ties. I could have done so if I had been asked at the time of my recruitment,” Hansen said.Family footsteps The investigation also identified several serving officials who are children of former ambassadors and senior diplomats.Eldo Kaiyamo, deputy chief of mission at Namibia's embassy in Washington, DC, and Tuikila Kaiyamo, a foreign relations officer, are sons of former ambassador to China Elia Kaiyamo. Kaiyamo was posted to Beijing from September 2016 until August 2025.Foreign relations officer Penohole Brock is the daughter of former ambassador Tshiwa Trudie Amulungu. Amulungu served as Namibia’s ambassador to Senegal from 2015 to 2020, with concurrent accreditation to The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Mauritania and Niger.Before her Dakar posting, Amulungu represented Namibia at Unesco in Paris.Foreign relations officer Tashiya Amkongo is the daughter of veteran diplomat and former ambassador Eddie Amkongo.Amkongo served as Namibia’s ambassador to Ethiopia and held senior domestic positions, including in the Office of the President and as secretary to Cabinet.In 2000, he was deployed to DRC as Namibia’s top diplomat during the Second Congo War. From 2000 to 2003, he served as a political adviser to the allied foreign forces supporting the Congolese government during the implementation of the Lusaka Ceasefire Agreement.Elia Kaiyamo told Namibian Sun his sons entered the diplomatic service independently and through the Public Service Commission."My sons are there in their own respective right and on pure merit, as consummate professionals," he said."Their entry into the system is absolutely above board. There is nothing to hide or to be concerned about. It is public knowledge."Their appointments were made following the proper procedures and regulations of the Public Service Commission,” he told Namibian Sun.Another prominent family connection involves newly appointed ministry executive director Jerobeam Shaanika.His daughter, Ottilia Marsha Shaanika, joined the ministry as a cadet foreign service officer in November 2025 while he was Namibia's ambassador to Germany.Following his return to Namibia in July 2026, she now falls under his overall administrative authority.Jerobeam's brother, retired diplomat Gabriel, also served in the foreign service.Gabriel served as a foreign relations officer before being posted as secretary at Namibia’s embassy in Havana, Cuba, from 1994 to 1999.He returned to the ministry as a foreign relations officer from 1999 to 2003 and served as first secretary at Namibia’s high commission in New Delhi, India, from 2003 to 2007.Gabriel again served as a foreign relations officer from 2009 to 2013 and held other diplomatic assignments during his career.Jerobeam Shaanika denied any role in his daughter's appointment."It is no secret that my daughter is here, but she came on her own and on merit. She did not inform me that she was applying, and when she joined the ministry, I was not here. I was in Germany. I was not part of the process," he said."She is a grown woman, not a baby. I cannot control what she wants to do. She is a qualified and admitted lawyer. Why do people make it look as if we do not belong here or should not be here?" Shaanika asked.On his brother's career, he said: "As for my brother, he was already working in diplomacy when we were in exile. There is no nepotism. There is a process conducted through panels."Veteran diplomat Tuliameni Kalomoh confirmed that deputy director Valombola Kalomoh is his son but said he had no involvement in his recruitment."I know there have been such talks that there is nepotism in the ministry. I vigorously deny them,” he said.Kalomoh said children often follow their parents into the same professions and insisted his son was appointed on merit.He, however, acknowledged that public perceptions should not be dismissed outright."Since these perceptions have been there for some time, we should, of course, not try to be defensive. Those questions are valid and must be asked," Kalomoh said.Close relations Family ties extend beyond ambassadors.Namibian Sun’s investigation also identified that foreign relations officer Ndapewa Amunyela is the daughter of retired ministry secretary Johanna Nuuyoma.Former deputy director Ingrid Tjizo, who served in the ministry's bilateral relations department and at Namibia's embassy in Finland, is the mother of Marbeline Sabatha, a former deputy director of information who was posted to Congo-Brazzaville in November 2025.Tjizo, who retired in July 2021 after more than three decades in the diplomatic service, said she was outside Namibia when Sabatha was recruited and that her daughter had previously applied unsuccessfully for a position in the ministry."I was also not a favourite official for anyone to do me a favour. Before this, she had applied and was rejected," Tjizo said.She acknowledged the longstanding perception that many diplomats' and officials' children work in the ministry but said most had earned their positions."It is true that there are several children of ambassadors and officials. I have been aware of the perception. But there are capable people there. I am not saying all of them, but most are," Tjizo said.The investigation also identified Rachel Ngolo, who joined the ministry as a cleaner before moving to the registry and later being posted as third secretary at Namibia's consulate in Cape Town.Her mother is also alleged to have worked for the ministry before retiring.Counsellor Emilia Shifula, formerly a deputy director in the ministry's human resources department and now serving in Finland, also has family members employed by the ministry, including one in human resources and another as a secretary.Shifula declined to comment, saying she was about to board a flight.Foreign relations officer Michael Hasheela is the son of retired foreign relations officer Ndamona Haileka.The family connections also extend to spouses and extended relatives.Former multilateral affairs official Lineekela Mboti is married to Tunga Mboti, formerly Nambili, who joined the ministry from the trade portfolio and served as a commercial attaché.David Heelu, first secretary at Namibia's mission in Pretoria, is married to Evangeline Heelu, a senior accountant at the ministry.Former ambassador to Finland Bonny Haufiku and former ambassador to Ethiopia Emilia Mkusa are cousins.Mkusa’s father and Haufiku’s mother are siblings.The two served as ambassadors during an overlapping period. Haufiku, now the ministry’s chief of protocol, served as Namibia’s ambassador to Finland from 2014 to 2024.Mkusa served as Namibia’s ambassador to Ethiopia from 2017 to 2024, with concurrent accreditation to Djibouti, South Sudan and Sudan. She also represented Namibia at multilateral bodies, including the African Union and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa.As of May 2026, she became the secretary to Cabinet.Foreign relations officer Rose Hiyandjwa is the daughter of retired ministry secretary Naufiku Hamutenya, whose husband, Joseph Hamutenya, also served as an accountant in the ministry.Public servantsThe investigation also identified links to current and former political office-bearers.Chief foreign relations officer Pomwenepawa Shaduka is related to President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah through the president's maternal family.Nandi-Ndaitwah’s mother is a Shaduka.Pomwenepawa is currently seconded to State House, where she serves in the Office of the Vice-President.The issue of family relationships in public service extends beyond the ministry.Earlier this year, State House confirmed that retired chief legal adviser Chris Nghaamwa, who is related to the president, had been appointed as an adviser to Attorney General Festus Mbandeka.The Presidency defended the appointment, saying it was based on his qualifications, experience and record of public service.The investigation also found that Maia Nepembe and Etuhole Kayone, who is stationed in Brazil, are nieces of international relations minister Selma Ashipala-Musavyi.Entry-level foreign service officers, known as cadets, are recruited through a Public Service Commission process conducted every four years.Candidates are required to hold university qualifications in disciplines such as law, economics, international relations or political science.Ministry respondsThe ministry declined to confirm or deny the family relationships identified by this publication.“For confirmations, you may contact the individuals concerned directly,” the ministry said in a written response issued by director of administration Secilia Hiskia on Thursday.The ministry said its recruitment processes are conducted in accordance with the Public Service Staff Rules, which require public-service positions to be filled through open competition.Vacancies are advertised through Public Service Management circulars, noticeboards, newspapers and the Namibia Integrated Employment Information System (NIEIS).“All applicants are received, regardless of their family relations, and thoroughly scrutinised, and all supporting documents are verified against the advertised requirements, specifically on appropriate qualifications and experience,” Hiskia said.The ministry added that interview-panel members are appointed based on their knowledge, skills and experience and must declare any direct or indirect conflict of interest that could affect their ability to assess candidates objectively.“Should direct conflict exist, the member concerned is obligated to recuse himself or herself,” the ministry said.It further said its recruitment processes are subject to audits by the Public Service Commission.“To date, there have been no findings indicating any alleged nepotism or irregularity in the ministry’s recruitment or selection process."The ministry did not indicate whether employees outside recruitment panels are required to disclose family relationships, how many employees are related to one another, or how many relatives have served at the same diplomatic mission or within the same reporting structure.

Inside the foreign ministry's family web

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Namibian Sun 2026-07-31

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Inside the foreign ministry's family web

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Namibian Sun 2026-07-31

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