Shikongo: Nampol is not an ‘Aawambo force’

Inspector-General of the Namibian Police, Lieutenant General Joseph Shikongo, has hit back at claims that the force is an “Aawambo” one, saying Nampol is a professional, balanced, and merit-based institution that represents the nation’s ethnic diversity.

Speaking during a courtesy visit by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on International Relations, Defence and Security in Windhoek on Monday, Shikongo dismissed tribalism allegations as baseless and contrary to the constitution.

“I’m not too sure whether I should even entertain the question of tribalism,” he said. “Namibia is a constitutional democracy, and tribalism is outlawed. No leader in this country would have the audacity to appoint someone based on tribe.”

He said the notion that the Namibian Police is an “Oshiwambo force” is misleading.

“There’s this belief that the Namibian Police is the Oshiwambo Police. Just look at the zebra colours,” he said, referring to Nampol’s black-and-white uniform. “When I introduced my officers, I didn’t fabricate names. Their names reflect where they come from — that’s proof of a balanced force.”

Inclusive leadership

Shikongo stressed that Nampol’s top leadership is diverse and inclusive, highlighting the appointment of Major General Anne-Marie Nainda, a Nama, as deputy inspector-general for administration.

“Should we crucify the person who appointed me because I’m Oshiwambo?” he asked. “My appointment was based on merit, not tribe. The position of inspector-general is one person at a time. My deputies, who come from different backgrounds, demonstrate our diversity.”

He noted that his power to appoint senior officers is clearly provided for in the Police Act and the constitution.

“The inspector-general is empowered by Section 32 of the Police Act to make appointments,” he said. “These are professional appointments, not political ones.”

All officers within Nampol, he added, are qualified to hold their posts.

“Everyone here is qualified. The issue of tribalism must be cut off. Unless we start thinking as Namibians — One Namibia, One Nation — we won’t move forward.”

‘Stop teaching tribalism’

Shikongo further urged Namibians to stop raising children along tribal lines.

“Let’s not bring up our children identifying them as Caprivians, Aawambo, Ovaherero, or Damaras,” he warned. “That will not take us anywhere.”

Safe city vision

He also spoke about community policing and the need to build Namibia into a “safe city” through better surveillance and legislation.

“A safe city means comprehensive surveillance supported by law,” he said. “We’re working closely with lawmakers to harmonise the legal framework and with communities to improve safety.”

Fighting poaching

Shikongo commended farmers for helping police fight poaching.

“We’ve arrested poachers in collaboration with farmers who share CCTV footage and information,” he said. “This partnership is key to our success.”

Community education

He said awareness and education are crucial to effective policing.

“Even if you give me a budget to recruit more officers, without community education, we’ll still face problems,” he said.

Citing China’s strict traffic enforcement, he added:

“In China, you can’t drink and drive — every driver has 12 points a year. Violations reduce your points and affect your criminal record. People behave because the system works.”

Finally, Shikongo cautioned that democracy should not be misused to justify indiscipline.

“Sometimes our democracy is misunderstood. When we introduce measures to improve society, people call it suppression. But some laws are there to help us live better,” he said.