David Namwandi

David Richard Namwandi (born 28 February 1954) is a Namibian academic and SWAPO politician. He was deputy minister of education from March 2010 to 20 February 2013 and minister of education from 21 February 2013 to 21 March 2015, in the last cabinet of President Hifikepunye Pohamba. He founded the Institute of Higher Education, later the International University of Management (IUM), and remains chair of its governing council.

Early life and studies Namwandi was born at Okapya, near Ondangwa in today’s Oshana Region, then South West Africa. Published profiles list a first degree, an MBA and a PhD in business administration from Asia e University (AeU) in Malaysia, and further doctoral awards linked to institutions in Malawi and Cyprus. In November 2022 AeU named him a distinguished alumnus.

IUM Before entering cabinet he created the Institute of Higher Education (IHE). That body became IUM, a private university accredited by the Namibia Qualifications Authority with its main campus in Windhoek and other sites at Ongwediva (Oshana Region), Eenhana (Ohangwena Region) and Nkurenkuru (Kavango West). IUM materials have put enrolment above 16,000; later commentary has used higher figures. He was chairman and vice-chancellor until Pohamba appointed him deputy minister. He is listed as founder and council chair; the vice-chancellor in the mid-2020s was Osmund Mwandemele. He has also chaired the Association of Private Higher Education Institutions in Namibia (APHEIN), a company-law network of private providers.

Titles associated with him include a comparison of the organisation of education in Namibia and Zimbabwe, essays on leadership in schools, notes on the Southern African Development Community protocol on education and training, and a three-part series “The Crux of the Education Matter.”

National Assembly and ministry SWAPO sent him to the National Assembly of Namibia from 21 March 2010. He served as deputy to minister Abraham Iyambo (succeeding Rebecca Ndjoze-Ojo) until 20 February 2013. After Iyambo died he became minister. The term ended with Pohamba’s presidency on 21 March 2015. In the first cabinet of Hage Geingob the portfolio became education, arts and culture under Katrina Hanse-Himarwa; Silvia Makgone had already taken the deputy post.

Until 2015 he chaired the Namibia National Commission for UNESCO. Commentary on his ministerial years stresses access to schooling and the private-higher-education framework rather than a single statute.

Awards IUM and allied notices record an education prize associated with the Reserve Bank of India (2012), an educational-excellence award from Le Matinal in Mauritius (2011), an education-leadership award at a World Marketing Summit in Malaysia (2013), a Chartered Institute of Management Accountants lifetime award at a World Education Congress in Mumbai on 23 July 2015, and a Namibia Business Hall of Fame listing on 17 November 2017. These claims rest mainly on institutional biographies.