Paavo Kamanya

Air Commodore Paavo Elwin-Paul Kamanya is a Namibian military officer who is serving as Defence Attache to Sri Lanka. He previously served as deputy Namibian Air Force commander.[2]

Paavo Elwin Paul Kamanya
Born1960's
Namibia
Allegiance Namibia
Service/branchNamibian Air Force
Years of service 1980 â€“ present
(43 years, 9 months)
Rank Air Commodore
Commands held
  • Deputy Air Force Commander[1]
    Grootfontein AFB Commander
    VR1 Squadron Commander
Battles/warsNamibian War of Independence Second Congo War
Awards
  • Most distinguished order of Namibia

Military career
Y-12,a type flown by Kamanya
Air Cdre Kamanya (in blue) at the 2016 Indian International Fleet Review

Kamanya is a veteran of the national liberation movement under SWAPO. He joined the Namibian Defence Force (NDF) and is a pioneer of the NDF Air Wing. During Namibia's deployment to the Democratic Republic of the Congo he also participated in the Second Congo War, flying resupply missions, including resupply to besieged Namibian and Zimbabwean troops at Ikela. During one of the flights a technician was mortally wounded. Instead of turning back he proceeded with the flight to Ikela. For his actions president Sam Nujoma awarded him the Most Distinguished Order of Namibia.[3]

He was appointed as the VR1 Squadron commanding officer, later he served as commanding officer stationed at Grootfontein Air Force Base. In the 2010s he was promoted to colonel and made deputy Air Force commander.[4][1] In January 2016 he was posted to India as Defence Attache and was replaced by Air Commodore Teofilus Shaende as deputy Air Force Commander. Later he was transferred to Sri Lanka as Defence Attache.[5][6]

Honours and decorations

References
  1. "African Air Chiefs Conference". www.usafe.af.mil.
  2. Marketing, Intouch Interactive (21 August 2013). "Presidency mum on NDF tribalism probe - Government - Namibian Sun". www.namibiansun.com.
  3. Hopwood, Graham (22 March 2000). "Nujoma honours DRC soldiers". The Namibian.
  4. Herald, The. "30 Zim, Namibian pilots honoured". The Herald.
  5. "Sri Lanka Navy". news.navy.lk.
  6. Michael, J (December 2015). "Air Commodore Kamanya posted as Military Attaché". NDF Journal. 54: 16.
  7. File:2016 International Fleet Review PRESS CONFERENCE OF CNO'S (33).jpg
  8. File:2016 International Fleet Review PRESS CONFERENCE OF CNO'S (33).jpg
  9. File:2016 International Fleet Review PRESS CONFERENCE OF CNO'S (33).jpg
  10. File:2016 International Fleet Review PRESS CONFERENCE OF CNO'S (33).jpg
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