Shekutaamba Väinö yaVäinö Nambala (born 5 August 1952, Onewawa, Onyaanya,

Ondonga Ondonga is a traditional kingdom of the Ovambo people in what is today northern Namibia. Its capital is Ondangwa, and the kingdom's palace is at Onambango. Its people call themselves ''Aandonga''. They speak the Ndonga dialect. The Ondonga kingd ...

Namibia Namibia (, ), officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country in Southern Africa. Its western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Zambia and Angola to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and e ...

) is a

Namibian Namibia (, ), officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country in Southern Africa. Its western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Zambia and Angola to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and ea ...

bishop, currently holding the title of

bishop A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ...

emeritus ''Emeritus'' (; female: ''emerita'') is an adjective used to designate a retired chair, professor, pastor, bishop, pope, director, president, prime minister, rabbi, emperor, or other person who has been "permitted to retain as an honorary title ...

of the

Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia (ELCIN) is a Lutheran denomination based in Namibia. It has a total membership of over 772,398, mainly in Northern Namibia. Formerly known as the Evangelical Lutheran Ovambo-Kavango Church (ELOC), it pl ...

. He was formerly the Presiding Bishop of the

and consecrated Bishop of the Western Diocese in 2012.

Education

Nambala went to school in Ondjamba during 1962–63, in Omuntele during 1964–68, to the Onayena boys’ school in 1969, to the

Ongwediva Ongwediva is a town in the Oshana Region in the north of Namibia. It is the district capital of the Ongwediva Constituency, Ongwediva electoral constituency. it had 27,000 inhabitants and covered 4,102 hectares of land. Ongwediva has seven ch ...

high school during 1970–70 and to the

Oshigambo Oshigambo is a settlement in the Oshikoto Region of northern Namibia. It is situated on the banks of Oshigambo River east of the Etosha pan The Etosha Pan is a large endorheic salt pan, forming part of the Cuvelai-Etosha Basin in the north o ...

High School during 1975–76. Nambala was sworn in as the third chancellor of the

International University of Management The International University of Management (IUM) is a private, state-recognized university based in Windhoek, Namibia. It has campuses in Swakopmund, Walvis Bay, Ongwediva and Nkurenkuru. History The university was founded by David Namwandi in ...

(IUM) in August 2018 replacing Bishop Emeritus

Kleopas Dumeni Kleopas Hafeni Dumeni (born 3 October 1930, Oshituku, Nakayale, Ombalantu, Namibia) is a Namibian church leader and a bishop emeritus of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia. Dumeni is the son of Paulus Monima yaDumeni yaHipetekwa (b. 1902) ...

. Nambala attended pastoral training at

Mapumulo Mapumulo is a town in eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of ...

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring count ...

, and obtained a Diploma in Theology in 1977–1980. He was ordained as pastor in 1981 at

. Nambala pursued further studies in

St. Paul, Minnesota Saint Paul (abbreviated St. Paul) is the capital of the U.S. state of Minnesota and the county seat of Ramsey County. Situated on high bluffs overlooking a bend in the Mississippi River, Saint Paul is a regional business hub and the center ...

USA The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territor ...

from 1983 to 1986, obtaining a master’s degree in theology, majoring in church history. From 1987 to 1990 he studied to obtain a doctorate in theology. He was consecrated Bishop of the Eastern Diocese and Presiding Bishop of the ELCIN in 2011 at

. He was consecrated on some day together with Bishop

Josafat Shanghala Josafat Shanghala (Kashindi) (b. 8 June 1944 Nakayale, Outapi, Ombalantu, Namibia) is a bishop emeritus of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia. Biography Shanghala is the son of Vendelinus Kautondokwa kaShanghala ShIipinge and Helvi ya ...

of the Western Diocese of the ELCIN, by Presiding Bishop Dr.

Tomas Shivute Tomas Iimbondi Shivute (b. 15 April 1942 Onayena, Ondonga, Namibia) is a bishop emeritus of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia. Shivute is the son of Sakaria Nehoya lyaShivute shaNdjongolo and Rauha Namunyela gweEgumbo. He went to sch ...

. Nambala retired in 2021.

Personal life

Nambala is married to Menette Ndeyapo yaNgula Mateus gaNuulimba since 1983. They have three sons.

References

Extra readings

* History of the church in Namibia (1994) by Shekutaamba V. V Nambala, , People from Oshikoto Region Namibian Lutheran clergy 21st-century Lutheran bishops Ovambo people Lutheran bishops in Africa Living people 1952 births {{bishop-stub