Fillemon Wise Immanuel, the new minister of Justice and Labour Relations , might be a polished lawyer, calculated politician, sharp in speech, steady in thought and meticulously prepared for the demands of high office. 

But beneath that calm exterior is a story carved from struggle, and stitched together with scraps of determination and sheer will. 

“I used to walk to and from Unam. First from Hakahana, then from Single Quarters,” he recalled. 

“When that became too far, I found a place to sleep in the bushes within Concordia College, and walked to Unam every morning and back to my bush shelter. I would usually shower in the gym hall [of the university] every morning, and endure my day as a normal student,” he chuckled softly. 

For two months, he lived this way – on bread and a ‘Drink o Pop’, in the shadows of campus life. 

Some students got to learn of his condition, and informed the social worker in the office of the Dean of Students. Immanuel was then offered shelter in the TV room, and later admitted into the hostel. 

Hailing from Onaluhaka (Oniihadhila) village of Omuntele constituency in the Oshikoto region, his journey began humbly. 

“I’m a rural boy,” he said with unflinching honesty. 

From grazing livestock in Ombuga (desert) and Ekaonde area (salt pan), to riding horses to school, the young Immanuel’s days were split between textbooks and thorny paths of responsibilities. 

At Amen Primary School, he led the charge for English to be the medium of instruction—showing to be a reformer even then. 

He said his ascent wasn’t built on slogans or grand ambitions. 

“Back then, we didn’t talk about visions,” he noted. 

“We merely attended school for literacy purposes. And any one of us who was lucky would proceed to secondary school, and may eventually become either a teacher or a nurse, depending on their predefined fate.” 

Changes in grade 11 

That, however, changed in grade 11 when he encountered law, and got exposed to the career possibilities it offers through an elder sister who was a law student at the time. 

“After matriculating, my family elders wanted me to go and study at a college, a wish that I disregarded,” he narrated. 

Immanuel’s first preferred institution of study was the University of Cape Town (UCT), where he was admitted into the Bachelor of Science: Chemistry, Molecular and Cellular Biology as a transitional course into medicine. His student number at the time was IMMFIL001. 

Although he was determined until the last day of registration, he could unfortunately not take up his study place at UCT due to a lack of funding. 

He, however, fell on his second option, which was Unam. 

Though financial constraints barred him from pursuing medicine, as he initially planned, the bursary from the Tusanang Association (a non-profit organisation linked to the Roman Catholic Church) allowed him to pivot to economics—and later, to law. It was that financial support from Tusanang which carried him through his studies. 

Immanuel studied for two degrees simultaneously, juggling third-year economics and first-year law. 

He said there was a provision in the university admission policy for dual studies, subject to the approval of the university’s senate, and Immanuel, true to his nature, took advantage of it. 

When he moved into the hostel and became fully-integrated into the university, his leadership potential started to be unleashed. 

He first became the vice president of the debating society, SRC-Academic Affairs, and finally Unam SRC president. 

Furthermore, he led several student demonstrations. 

“I didn’t have a grand plan. I just wanted to help where I could. That has always been my compass,” he told this reporter. 

This same principle cemented his character formation for many years. 

Profession 

Soon after graduating, Immanuel briefly served the Khomas Regional Council as a Regional Development Planner. 

He then returned to Unam as the Head of Students Leadership Development and Support Services. 

At Unam, he created opportunities for mentorship, as well as training and exposure for student leaders with external partners. 

Professionally, Immanuel is a seasoned corporate governance practitioner and an admitted legal practitioner of the High and Supreme Courts of Namibia. 

With over 15 years of experience in executive leadership, he has served in key roles such as Executive: Governance, Legal Services and Company Secretary at NSFAF. 

He holds multiple degrees in Law, Economics, Business Administration and Management Strategy, and is currently pursuing a PhD in Inter-disciplinary Studies: Technology Law at the University of Witwatersrand. 

Immanuel’s political journey is deeply-rooted in the structures of the Swapo Party, which has been his political home ever since. 

His political activism had attracted suspension threats from both high school and university. 

He started as a young pioneer and progressed through the ranks of the SPYL, serving in multiple leadership capacities such as the Branch Secretary for Information and Mobilisation, Branch Secretary, and National Assistant Secretary for Information and Mobilisation. 

He also presided over several internal Swapo Party elections as a Returning Officer, including the Swapo Party Electoral College, Central Committee, Political Bureau and congresses of various party wings, with the latest being the Swapo Party Extraordinary Congress 2025. 

He has been a member of the Swapo Party Think Tank, and the steering committee of the Swapo Party School. 

Appointment 

On 22 March 2025, the tide shifted. 

He was sworn in as a Member of Parliament in the morning, and appointed Minister of Justice and Labour Relations by the afternoon. 

The call came directly from President Netumbo Nandi- Ndaitwah. “It was a humbling moment. I didn’t expect it. I don’t live with expectations. I take each day as it comes. Thus, I neither expected the appointment nor anticipated the call,” he admitted. 

During this interview with New Era, one could tell the weight of his new office is not lost on him. 

“Justice and labour are not separate corners – they are intertwined. Most labour disputes are cries for justice. Bringing these functions under one roof provides an opportunity for resources optimisation and an overall efficiency gain in the end,” he reasoned. 

Immanuel’s mantra, “reforming by reasoning,” defines his leadership approach. 

“Reform doesn’t need to be forceful. It should be through dialogues and persuas ive engagements that move hearts and change minds.” 

As he settles in the halls of power, he resists the formalities which often come with political office. 

He doesn’t want to be addressed as “Honourable”, or by any lofty titles. 

Instead, he prefers the simplicity of his full name—Fillemon Wise Immanuel, or “The Wise Immanuel”, or the affectionate moniker “Omumbuga eshi okulesha,” which loosely translates to “A literate man from Ombuga”. 

When all is said and done, he wants “Namibia to remember me simply as a progressive reformer who offered himself, once again, in service to others.” 

– ashikololo@nepc.com.na