Mr. Festus Mbandeka

Years of service: Present
Festus Mbandeka was appointed as Attorney-General on March 21, 2020.

Prior to his appointment he was the CEO of Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN). Mbandeka is a Legal Practitioner and was admitted to the profession by the High Court of Namibia in 1997.

In the past, he worked for the Office of the Attorney General, sat on the board of directors of Namibia Diamond Trading Company, and was the legal advisor for Namibia's tech-com giant Mobile Telecommunication Company (MTC).

Hon. Dr. Albert Kawana

Years of service: 2018 – 2020
Dr. Albert Kawana, MP, the current Minister of Justice was appointed as Minister of Presidential Affairs and Attorney-General by President Dr. Hifikepunye Pohamba for the period 2008 until March 20, 2015 to succeed Attorney-General Iivula-Ithana.

He has been a Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Justice (1990 – 2000), Deputy Minister of Justice (2000 – 2003), Minister of Justice (2003 – 2004) until his appointment as Minister of Presidential Affairs (from 2005), and lastly as Minister of Presidential Affairs and Attorney-General (2008 – March 20, 2015). He is the first to be appointed to this position having not been part of the Constituent Assembly.

He was not a legal practitioner when appointed, however, in matters of the Attorney-General (such as electoral challenges), he has sat at the bar (as opposed to the gallery) in the Supreme Court.

Mr. Hartmut Ruppel

Years of service: 1990 – 1995
History will always remember Mr. Hartmut Ruppel as the first Attorney-General of an independent Namibia during the period March 21, 1990 – March 20, 1995. He was a member of the Constituent Assembly and participated in the drafting of the Namibian Constitution as a SWAPO representative.

He was admitted as an attorney in 1983. He was a partner in the firm Lorentz & Bone, to which he returned in 1995. He is now a Director at ENS Africa.

Adv. Vekuii Reinhard Rukoro

Years of service: 1995 – 2000
Attorney-General Vekuii Reinhard Rukoro held office during the period 1995 – 2000 and succeeded Attorney-General Ruppel as the second Attorney-General of the Republic of Namibia.

He served previously as the Deputy Minister of Justice from 1990 – 1995 and also participated as a Member of the Constituent Assembly that drafted the Namibian Constitution.

He was a member of the Namibia National Front (NNF), which he represented in the Constituent Assembly, and despite being from an opposition party, was appointed as a Deputy Minister. He was enrolled as an advocate in 1992.

Dr. Ngarikutuke Ernest Tjiriange

Years of service: March 2000 to January 2001
Dr. Ernest Ngarikutuke Tjiriange was Minister of Justice and Attorney-General from March 2000 to January 2001 and was succeeded by Attorney-General Iivula-Ithana.

He was the first Minister of Justice of the Republic of Namibia, having occupied that position from March 21, 1990 to 1995.

Mrs. Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana

Years of service: 2001 - 2005
Having served as the only woman in the Constituent Assembly’s draft committee that crafted the Namibian Constitution, Mrs. Pendukeni Maria Iivula-Ithana was appointed by President Dr. Sam Nujoma as Attorney-General during the period January 26, 2001 and March 20, 2005.

During her tenure, she has occupied both positions, as Minister of Justice and Attorney-General from March 21, 2005 until 2008. She was Deputy Minister of Wildlife, Conservation and Tourism (1990 – 1991), Minister of Youth and Sport (1991 – 1996), and Minister of Lands, Resettlement and Rehabilitation (1996 – 2001).

She was not a legal practitioner when she was appointed as Attorney-General and as the only woman appointed to that position, she is also the longest serving having held the position for 7 years.

Hon. Sakeus E.T. Shanghala

Years of service: 2015 – 2018
Sakeus Edward Twelityaamena 'Sacky' Shanghala is a Namibian politician who served as the Minister of Justice. He previously served as Attorney General of Namibia from 2015-2018.

He is the former chairperson of the Law Reform and Development Commission which he chaired between 2010 and 2015. Shanghala worked as the special advisor to the Attorney General since late 2001.

He also worked as an aide to the then-Prime Minister Hage Geingob for three years.