Andreas Shipanga

Shipanga was born on 26 October 1931 in Ondangwa, Ovamboland. He obtained a Teacher's Training Certificate at Ongwediva in 1952. Soon after graduation he travelled abroad in search of further education which was not possible for Blacks after 1948. The National Party had won the 1948 election in South Africa, subsequently apartheid legislation was introduced. He first stayed in Angola, then moved on to South Africa, and from there to South Rhodesia. ==Career with SWAPO==

Having read about Andimba Toivo ya Toivo and Fillemon Mifima preparing the foundation of a political party in support of Namibian independence, Shipanga traveled to Cape Town to join the group in 1957. He co-founded the Ovamboland People's Congress, the predecessor of OPO and SWAPO. Shipanga returned to South-West Africa in 1960 and went into exile in 1963 where he helped established several SWAPO offices and military training camps. He was SWAPO's representative in Kinshasa, Zaire and then Cairo, Egypt from 1964-69. While in Egypt, he married his wife Esmé. Following his stint as diplomat, he became the SWAPO Secretary for Information and Publicity from 1970 until 1976.{{cite web ==SWAPO D==

In the 1970s Shipanga complained about corruption within SWAPO and misuse of donor funds. He suggested to elect new leaders and for this to be able to happen he pushed forward the organisation of a party congress. These actions were later called the "Shipanga Rebellion". He and members of his group were arrested in Zambia in 1976. Shipanga was jailed for two years at different facilities, but never charged or tried. ==See also==