// Workers AI · dad joke modeIs Tom Alweendo a good miner? Alweendo the competition.

The Honourable Tom Alweendo
Tom Alweendo in 2024
Minister of Mines and Energy
In office 8 February 2018 – 21 March 2025
President	Hage Geingob
Prime Minister	Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila
Preceded by	Obeth Kandjoze
Minister in the Presidency in charge of the National Planning Commission
In office 21 March 2010 – 8 February 2018
President	Hifikepunye Pohamba Hage Geingob
Prime Minister	Hage Geingob Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila
Preceded by	Helmut Angula
Succeeded by	Obeth Kandjoze
Governor of the Bank of Namibia
In office 1 January 1997 – 25 March 2010
President	Sam Nujoma Hifikepunye Pohamba
Prime Minister	Hage Geingob Theo-Ben Gurirab Nahas Angula
Preceded by	Jaafar Ahmad
Succeeded by	Ipumbu Shiimi
Personal details
Born	(1958-03-17) 17 March 1958 Omusheshe, Oshana Region, South West Africa (now Namibia)
Alma mater	University of the Witwatersrand University of Wales

Thomas Kavaningilamo Alweendo (born 17 March 1958 in Omusheshe, Oshana Region) is a Namibian politician who served as a Minister of Mines and Energy from 8 February 2018 to 21 March 2025. In 1997, he became the first Namibian Governor of the Bank of Namibia when he replaced Jafaar bin Ahmad of Malaysia.

In 2010, Alweendo was appointed to lead the National Planning Commission. When Hage Geingob took office as president in March 2015, he confirmed Alweendo in his position. In a cabinet reshuffle in February 2018, Alweendo became Minister of Mines and Energy, swapping positions with Obeth Kandjoze.

Education

Alweendo earned a bachelor's degree from the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Wales in the United Kingdom.

As governor of the Bank of Namibia, he maintained the Namibian dollar's linkage with the South African rand. He also raised concerns about increasing amounts of government debt and questioned whether expenditures on education produced better results.