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WINDHOEK. — Namibia’s President Hage Geingob reshuffled his cabinet yesterday, announcing that Vice President Nickey Iyambo had asked to retire on medical grounds. Former secretary general of the ruling Swapo Party, Nangolo Mbumba, has been appointed in Iyambo’s place.

President Geingob has also appointed former Presidential Affairs Minister Frans Kapofinew as minister of Home Affairs, and Deputy Home Affairs Minister Erastus Utoni as youth minister.

Both the previous office holders were fired on February 1. Minister of Industrialisation Immanuel Ngatjizeko is the new presidential affairs minister. President Geingob has also reassigned Minister of Mines and Energy Oberth Kandjoze to the National Planning Commission as its director general.

Former Justice Minister Albert Kawana has been moved to the attorney general’s office while Attorney General Sacky Shanghala is now justice minister. Tjekero Tweya, who was information minister until Thursday, has been reassigned to ministry of industrialization, and his position has been taken over by Stanley Simataa.

The Ministry for Urban and Rural Development was under Sophia Shaningwa, who is currently the Swapo Party’s secretary general. It has now gone to Peya Musheelenga, who was deputy minister at the international relations ministry.

The reshuffle came after months of speculation following an aggressive campaign for top Swapo positions in 2017. – Xinhua