Joseph Shikongo

Lieutenant General Joseph Shimweelao Shikongo (born 18 September 1964) was a Namibian police officer who served as the Inspector General of the Namibian Police Force. He was appointed by President Hage Geingob on 22 August 2022 and resumed his duty officially on 1 September 2022 and his term ended on 6 May 2026 . Shikongo replaced the retired Lieutenant General Sebastian Ndeitunga.

Early life Shikongo joined the armed struggle at the age of 14 in 1979, but because of his age he could not go through a military training. He was instead sent to Kwanza Sul in Angola and later transferred to Nyango in Zambia for his studies. Shikongo only received his military training beginning in 1983, learning war tactics and military skills at Tobias Hainyeko Military Training Center. Shikongo is specialized in Anti Air Defence Operations.

Career Lieutenant General Shikongo's early career begin in 1984 with his deployment at the 2nd Mechanised Brigade, and he was subsequently appointed as AD Battery political commissar. At independence in 1990, Shikongo was integrated into a newly formed Namibian Defence Force. He joined with a lance corporal rank and was later promoted to the rank of sergeant. In 1994 Shikongo was raised to the rank of staff sergeant, then to a lieutenant rank in 1998. He was later assigned to the Prime Minister's office as chief of security from 2000 to 2003, then transferred to a Very Important Person Protection Directorate. On 1 April 2021 Lieutenant General Shikogo was appointed by then-inspector general Sebastian Ndeitunga as major general as well as deputy inspector general of operations. He was dismissed from his position as Inspector General of the Namibian Police Force on 5 May 2026, following a security breach in which a naked man was found inside State House.

Apart from the national assignments, Shikongo has also been assigned international assignments where he has served in peace-keeping missions in Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and at the United Nations in New York.

Awards Shikongo was awarded of the Most Excellent Order of the Eagle, first class by His Excellency President Nangolo Mbumba.