John Mutwa

John Sinvula Mutwa
John Sinvula Mutwa
Born	23 September 1960; Mahundu, South-West Africa, South Africa)
Died	17 June 2021 (aged 60); Katima Mulilo
Buried	Mahundu, Namibia
Allegiance	Namibia
Service/branch	Namibian Army
Years of service	PLAN (1975–1989); Namibian Army (1990–2020)
Rank	Lieutenant general
Commands held	Chief of Staff: Logistics (2006–2011); Army Commander (2011–2013); Chief of Defence Force (2013–2020);
Battles/wars	Namibian War of Independence; Second Congo War
Awards	Excellent Order of the Eagle, First Class;

Lieutenant General John Sinvula Mutwa (23 September 1960 – 17 June 2021) was a Namibian military officer whose last appointment was as chief of the Namibian Defence Force (NDF). He was appointed the commander of the Namibian Army

in 2011, and NDF Chief on 31 December 2013, a position from which he retired on 31 March 2020.

Career

PLAN

Mutwa's military career began in 1975 when he joined the Peoples Liberational Army of Namibia in

Counter Intelligence Course in the former Yugoslavia.^[2]

Between 1979 and 1980 he was the Regional Staff Officer for Administration on the Eastern Front, while between 1980 and 1989 he was the regional chief of reconnaissance at the eastern and northern fronts.

NDF

In 1990 he joined the Namibian Defence Force as a pioneer and was given the rank of

Naval Base Impalila was renamed after him^[4]

.

Qualifications

1976– Officer Cadet Course – Tanzania

1981 – 1982 Political Science and Leadership Course –

USSR

.

1993 – 1994 Senior Command and Staff Course- United States.

1995 Military Logistics Officers Course –

UK

.

1996 Advanced Military Law Course at the UNAM.

1997 Defence Executive Management Course joint programme between the

UNAM

.

1998 – 1999 National Security Strategy Course- South Africa.

Honours and decorations

Excellent Order of the Eagle, First Class.^[5]

Namibian Army Pioneer Medal
Mandume Ya Ndemufayo Operation Medal
Independence Medal
Army Ten Years Service Medal
Army Twenty Years Service Medal
Campaign Medal
NDF Commendation Medal

Private life

Mutwa was married with three children. He died on 17 June 2021 at Katima Mulilo from COVID-19.^[6] He was declared a national hero of Namibia and awarded a state funeral. President Hage Geingob also declared three days of mourning.^[7] He was interred with full military honours at Mahundu village in the Zambezi Region on 1 July 2021.^[8]

Military offices
Preceded by Brigadier James Auala	Chief of Staff: Defence Logistics 2006 – 2011	Succeeded by Brigadier General Joseph Kakoto
Preceded by Major General Peter Nambundunga	Commander Namibian Army 2011 – 2013	Succeeded by Major General Tomas Hamunyela
Preceded by Lieutenant General Epaphras Denga Ndaitwah	Chief of Defence Force 31 December 2013 – 31 March 2020	Succeeded by Air Marshal Martin Pinehas

References

^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 March 2016. Retrieved 5 July 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
^ "Chief of Defence Force – GRN Portal". Mod.gov.na. Archived from the original on 3 May 2020. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
^ Muraranganda, Elvis (3 January 2014). "'Top Three' absent at Mutwa's NDF inauguration". Namibian Sun. p. 1. Archived from the original on 3 January 2014. Retrieved 3 January 2014.
^ https://www.namibiansun.com/government/impalila-naval-base-renamed-in-honour-of-mutwa2024-03-22
^ "Namibians honoured by President". New Era. 28 August 2014. Archived from the original on 29 June 2018. Retrieved 29 August 2014.
^ Geingob, Hage (30 July 2021). "Statement by His Excellency Dr. Hage G. Geingob on the Occasion of the 32nd COVID-19 Public Briefing in the National Response Measures". Government of Namibia via Namibia University of Science and Technology.
^ "President Geingob confers honour of national hero to former NDF chief John Mutwa". NBC. 18 June 2021. Archived from the original on 28 June 2021. Retrieved 26 February 2022.
^ Kooper, Lugeretzia (2 July 2021). "Mutwa praised for contribution to liberation struggle". The Namibian. Archived from the original on 11 July 2021. Retrieved 26 February 2022.

[1] "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 March 2016. Retrieved 5 July 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

[2] "Chief of Defence Force – GRN Portal". Mod.gov.na. Archived from the original on 3 May 2020. Retrieved 26 February 2022.

[absent-3] Muraranganda, Elvis (3 January 2014). "'Top Three' absent at Mutwa's NDF inauguration". Namibian Sun. p. 1. Archived from the original on 3 January 2014. Retrieved 3 January 2014.

[4] ttps://www.namibiansun.com/government/impalila-naval-base-renamed-in-honour-of-mutwa2024-03-22

[5] "Namibians honoured by President". New Era. 28 August 2014. Archived from the original on 29 June 2018. Retrieved 29 August 2014.

[6] Geingob, Hage (30 July 2021). "Statement by His Excellency Dr. Hage G. Geingob on the Occasion of the 32nd COVID-19 Public Briefing in the National Response Measures". Government of Namibia via Namibia University of Science and Technology.

[7] "President Geingob confers honour of national hero to former NDF chief John Mutwa". NBC. 18 June 2021. Archived from the original on 28 June 2021. Retrieved 26 February 2022.

[8] Kooper, Lugeretzia (2 July 2021). "Mutwa praised for contribution to liberation struggle". The Namibian. Archived from the original on 11 July 2021. Retrieved 26 February 2022.

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