Martin Shalli

Lieutenant General Martin Shalli is a former Namibian diplomat and military commander. In 2005, he was appointed as Namibia's High Commissioner to Zambia by President Sam Nujoma, but he was recalled in October 2006 by Nujoma's successor, Hifikepunye Pohamba, and appointed as Chief of the Namibia Defence Force (NDF). He replaced controversial NDF commander Solomon Huwala, and he was replaced as High Commissioner to Zambia by regional councillor Solomon Witbooi.

Martin Shalli
Born (1954-01-01) 1 January 1954
Namibia
(then South-West Africa, South Africa)
Allegiance Namibia
Service/branchPeople's Liberation Army of Namibia
Namibian Army
Years of service1971–2011
RankLieutenant General
Commands held
  • Chief Of Defence Force (2006-2011)
  • Namibian Army (2000-2005)
  • Operations (1990-1995)
Battles/warsNamibian War of Independence

In July 2009, Shalli was suspended by President Pohamba due to "serious allegations of irregularities".[1] Without the alleged irregularities being proven, refuted, or even officially substantiated, Shalli retired with full military privileges in January 2011.[2]

Career

PLAN

Shalli joined SWAPO's military wing, the People's Liberation Army of Namibia (PLAN) in 1971 in exile and eventually was trained as an anti-aircraft artillery battalion commander in the Soviet Union before eventually becoming a PLAN platoon commander,he was then appointed to Detachment commander. Shalli was then promoted to PLAN Chief of Air Defence,afterwards he was made Chief of Staff of the North Eastern Front.[3] By the end of the war he was the PLAN Chief of Operations.[4]

NDF

When PLAN merged into the military structure to help create independent Namibia's military, the Namibia Defence Force, Shalli was given the position of Policy and Operations Director with the rank of Brigadier General.[5] He was then promoted to Major General and appointed NDF Chief of Staff in 1995 replacing Major General Charles Namholo. Between 2000 and 2005 he was the Army Commander with the rank of Major General. In he was then appointed in 2005 to 2006 as the Namibian High Commissioner to Zambia. In 2006 he was promoted to Lieutenant General and appointed to Chief of Defence Force, Namibian Defence Force. In 2009, Shalli was suspended from the NDF due to allegations of fraud. He allegedly had large amounts of money given to him by a company working in Namibia from the People's Republic of China from which the NDF bought equipment. Major General Peter Nambundunga was appointed to Act in position.[1] Prior to his suspension, Shalli earned three medals for his service, the Order of Eagle 2nd Class, the Omugulugwombashe Medal, and the Cross for Bravery in Silver. Despite the allegations, Shalli retired with full military privileges in January 2011.[2]

Honours and Decorations
  • Order of Eagle 2nd Class
  • Omugulugwombashe Medal
  • NDF Commendation Medal
  • Namibian Cross for bravery (Gold) Medal
  • Namibian Cross for bravery (Silver) Medal
Military offices
Preceded by
Solomon Huwala		 Chief of Defence Force
2006 – 24 January 2011		 Succeeded by
Epaphras Denga Ndaitwah
Preceded by
Solomon Huwala		 Commander Namibian Army
2000 – 2005		 Succeeded by
Peter Nambundunga
Preceded by
Charles Namoloh		 NDF Chief of Staff
1995 – 2000		 Succeeded by
Peter Nambundunga
Preceded by
Vacant		 Director Policy and Operations
1990 – 1995		 Succeeded by
Unknown

References
  1. "Defence Chief Suspended", New Era, 23 July 2009. Archived July 16, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  2. Vries, Da'oud (21 January 2011). "General Martin Shalli retires with honours". The Namibian. Archived from the original on 23 May 2012. Retrieved 21 January 2011.
  3. https://neweralive.na/posts/shalli-new-ndf-chief
  4. https://www.namibian.com.na/print.php?id=26260&type=2
  5. Shalli New NDF Chief New Era, 23 October 2006
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