Peter Mweshihange

Peter Mweshihange (5 May 1930 – 20 March 1998) was a Namibian revolutionary and guerrilla leader, and after Namibian independence, politician and diplomat. He was Namibia's first Minister of Defense from 1990 to 1995, and first ambassador to the People's Republic of China from 1996 until his death.

Mweshihange was born as fifth of 25 children on 5 May 1930 in Epinga near the border with Angola in former Ovamboland, today Ohangwena Region. In his childhood years he developed knowledge of the local flora and considered himself to be a traditional healer, using his childhood friends as guinea pigs. He attended St Mary's Mission School at Odibo from the age of 11, and from the age of 14 he received training to become a teacher. He moved to Tsumeb in 1946 and worked first as truck driver, then as Head of Transport Services at the South West Africa Native Labour Association (SWANLA), the colonial labour hire company of South-West Africa.

Mweshihange was arrested in Rundu in 1954 on his first attempt to go into exile. He was not convicted but left South-West Africa soon afterwards to work as miner in Johannesburg and as chef for the French Consul General in Cape Town. He joined the resistance movement there and followed Sam Nujoma into Tanganyikan exile in 1960.

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