Petrus Iilonga
Honourable Petrus Iilonga | |
---|---|
Deputy minister of Defence | |
In office 4 December 2012 – 20 March 2015 | |
President | Hifikepunye Pohamba |
Preceded by | Lempy Lucas |
Succeeded by | Billy Mwaningange |
Deputy minister of Agriculture, Water and Forestry | |
In office 21 March 2010 – 4 December 2012 | |
President | Hifikepunye Pohamba |
Succeeded by | Lempy Lucas |
Deputy minister of Labour and Social Welfare | |
In office 21 March 2005 – 21 March 2010 | |
President | Hifikepunye Pohamba |
Succeeded by | Alpheus Muheua |
Deputy minister of Environment and Tourism | |
In office 21 March 2000 – 21 March 2005 | |
President | Sam Nujoma |
Personal details | |
Born | SWAPO | 8 January 1947
Occupation | Politician |
Petrus Iilonga (8 January 1947 – 11 December 2018) was a
Early life and military career
Iilonga was born in
Trade unionism
After his release, Iilonga began mobilizing workers under the National Union of Namibian Workers.[2] He is described as one of three former Robben Island prisoners who were key in the rise of the union in the mid 1980s.[3] Iilonga served as secretary general of the Namibia Public Workers Union (Napwu) from 1988 to 2000.[2] He had founded the union in 1987, though it was legally unable to recruit members until after independence in 1990.[4]
Political career
In 1995, Iilonga became a member of the
In a 2008 belated Heroes' Day speech in Keetmanshoop, Iilonga criticized the newly formed opposition Rally for Democracy and Progress for alleged tribalism. In the same speech he said that SWAPO did not support opposition parties.[6] Iilonga was appointed deputy minister of Agriculture, Water and Forestry in 2010. He held that position until 4 December 2012 when he was appointed deputy minister of Defence.[5]
In the 2014 election he was not reelected to Parliament but kept his seat in the central committee.[7] In November 2017 Iilonga missed out on election to the central committee of SWAPO.[8] Iilonga resided in Windhoek and was famous for his "Che Guevara-style" beret and frequent phone-ins to Namibian Broadcasting Corporation radio programmes.[2]
References
- ^ "Iilonga Petrus". Parliament of Namibia. Retrieved 14 December 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Hopwood, Graham (2007). "Iilonga, Petrus Nangolo – Swapo". Guide to Namibian Politics. Namibia Institute for Democracy. Archived from the original on 11 June 2011. Retrieved 7 December 2012.
- ISBN 9789991684017. Retrieved 12 December 2018.
- ISBN 9789991601274. Retrieved 12 December 2018.
- ^ a b c Shipanga, Selma; Immanuel, Shinovene (5 December 2012). "Transition team picked". The Namibian. Archived from the original on 6 December 2012.
- ^ Cloete, Luqman (8 September 2008). "Rally for Democracy and Progress splits nation: Iilonga". The Namibian.
- ^ Iikela, Sakeus (12 December 2018). "Iilonga dies at 71". The Namibian.
- ^ "New faces, surprises in Swapo CC". The Namibian. Retrieved 12 December 2018.