Julius Shaambeni Shilongo Mnyika
Encyclopedia
Julius Shaambeni Shilongo Mnyika (17 January, 1938 - 29 July, 2003) was a Namibia
n guerrilla with the South West African Liberation Army
(SWALA), forerunner to the People's Liberation Army of Namibia
(PLAN).
, Ohangwena Region
, Ovamboland
. He was one of the first Namibians who went into exile in the late 1950s and 1960s because of oppression by the South African authorities. After working in the gold mines of South Africa, he fled to neighboring Bechuanaland (now Botswana
) and set off for Tanganyika
(now Tanzania
). Mnyika and fellow SWAPO activist Maxton Joseph Mutongolume were arrested in Southern Rhodesia
(Zimbabwe
) and deported to South Africa, where they were charged with leaving the country illegally. After spending several months in a Old Location
prison outside of Windhoek
, Mnyika fled again and successful reached Tanganyika. He received military training in Tanganyika and later Algeria
. He was one of the founding members of the South West African Liberation Army (SWALA), which eventually transformed into SWAPO's armed wing of PLAN. In 1966, Mnyika was captured during the Battle at Omugulugwombashe, the first military conflict of the Namibian War of Independence
against South Africa. In February 1968, he was convicted on terrorism-related charges by the occupying apartheid officials from South Africa and sentenced to life in prison
. He was sent to Robben Island
and spent 17 years in prison. He was released from prison in 1985 and returned to Namibia, only to go back into exile in 1988. He returned to Namibia in 1989 ahead of the 1989 election
and independence of Namibia. He died on 29 July, 2003.
Namibia
Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia , is a country in southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. It gained independence from South Africa on 21 March...
n guerrilla with the South West African Liberation Army
People's Liberation Army of Namibia
The People's Liberation Army of Namibia was the active military wing of the South West Africa People's Organization during the Namibian War of Independence. It sought independence for the territory from South African rule. PLAN launched its first attack on the South African military at...
(SWALA), forerunner to the People's Liberation Army of Namibia
People's Liberation Army of Namibia
The People's Liberation Army of Namibia was the active military wing of the South West Africa People's Organization during the Namibian War of Independence. It sought independence for the territory from South African rule. PLAN launched its first attack on the South African military at...
(PLAN).
Life
Mnyika was born on 17 January 1938 in EpingaEpinga
Epinga is a village in Ohangwena Region, Namibia. It belongs to the Omundaungilo electoral constituency and is part of the former Ovamboland bantustan. Notable residents include military commanders Julius Shaambeni Shilongo Mnyika and Peter Mweshihange...
, Ohangwena Region
Ohangwena Region
Ohangwena is one of the thirteen regions of Namibia. The northern and western parts of the region are the most densely populated of this essentially subsistence agricultural region in which small scale mahangu cultivation and the keeping of cattle form the predominant activities...
, Ovamboland
Ovamboland
Ovamboland was the name given by English-speaking visitors to the land occupied by the Ovambo people in what is now northern Namibia and southern Angola...
. He was one of the first Namibians who went into exile in the late 1950s and 1960s because of oppression by the South African authorities. After working in the gold mines of South Africa, he fled to neighboring Bechuanaland (now Botswana
Botswana
Botswana, officially the Republic of Botswana , is a landlocked country located in Southern Africa. The citizens are referred to as "Batswana" . Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name after becoming independent within the Commonwealth on 30 September 1966...
) and set off for Tanganyika
Tanganyika
Tanganyika , later formally the Republic of Tanganyika, was a sovereign state in East Africa from 1961 to 1964. It was situated between the Indian Ocean and the African Great Lakes of Lake Victoria, Lake Malawi and Lake Tanganyika...
(now Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
). Mnyika and fellow SWAPO activist Maxton Joseph Mutongolume were arrested in Southern Rhodesia
Southern Rhodesia
Southern Rhodesia was the name of the British colony situated north of the Limpopo River and the Union of South Africa. From its independence in 1965 until its extinction in 1980, it was known as Rhodesia...
(Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
) and deported to South Africa, where they were charged with leaving the country illegally. After spending several months in a Old Location
Old Location
The Old Location was an area segregated for Black residents of Windhoek, the capital of Namibia. It was situated in the area of today's suburb Hochland Park....
prison outside of Windhoek
Windhoek
Windhoek is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Namibia. It is located in central Namibia in the Khomas Highland plateau area, at around above sea level. The 2001 census determined Windhoek's population was 233,529...
, Mnyika fled again and successful reached Tanganyika. He received military training in Tanganyika and later Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
. He was one of the founding members of the South West African Liberation Army (SWALA), which eventually transformed into SWAPO's armed wing of PLAN. In 1966, Mnyika was captured during the Battle at Omugulugwombashe, the first military conflict of the Namibian War of Independence
Namibian War of Independence
See also South African Border War.The Namibian War of Independence, also known as the South African Border War, which lasted from 1966 to 1988, was a guerrilla war, which the nationalist South-West Africa People's Organization and others, fought against the apartheid government in South...
against South Africa. In February 1968, he was convicted on terrorism-related charges by the occupying apartheid officials from South Africa and sentenced to life in prison
Life imprisonment
Life imprisonment is a sentence of imprisonment for a serious crime under which the convicted person is to remain in jail for the rest of his or her life...
. He was sent to Robben Island
Robben Island
Robben Island is an island in Table Bay, 6.9 km west of the coast of Bloubergstrand, Cape Town, South Africa. The name is Dutch for "seal island". Robben Island is roughly oval in shape, 3.3 km long north-south, and 1.9 km wide, with an area of 5.07 km². It is flat and only a...
and spent 17 years in prison. He was released from prison in 1985 and returned to Namibia, only to go back into exile in 1988. He returned to Namibia in 1989 ahead of the 1989 election
Namibian parliamentary election, 1989
Parliamentary elections were held in Namibia between 7 and 11 November 1989. These elections were for the Constituent Assembly of Namibia, which, upon independence in March 1990, became the National Assembly of Namibia.-Background:...
and independence of Namibia. He died on 29 July, 2003.