In her seventh general election since independence in 1990, Namibia has elected its first female president, who is expected to lead the country for the next five years. Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah emerged as the fifth executive president and the first female president of Namibia in the electoral results announced on Tuesday, December 3, 2024. While oppositions grumble over the electoral conduct, this victory has extended the SWAPO party’s 34-year reign.
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Namibia Elects First Female President in a Controversial Election
Vice President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has emerged as Namibia’s first female president, according to the electoral results released by the country’s electoral commission on Tuesday. The 72-year-old presidential candidate of the South West Africa People’s Organization (SWAPO) was elected president during the 27th to 30th November election, extending her party’s 34-year hold of power.
Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah ousted Panduleni Itula of the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) with 57% of the votes, defying predictions that she might be forced into a run-off. In her victory speech, the Namibia president-elect described her victory as a vote for peace and stability.
Meanwhile, the election couldn’t be described as smooth and glitch-free largely due to the technical difficulties and inadequate resources during the electoral process. These have given the opposition parties reasons to contend against the results declared by the electoral commission on Tuesday. Firstly, they described the voting extension as an illegal action by the electoral commission. The election was scheduled to be held on the 27th of November but was extended over three days until Saturday, the 30th of November due to the malfunctioning voter identification tablets and shortage of ballot papers in some areas. Secondly, they believe that voters having to queue for long hours before being able to cast their ballot has disenfranchised a large number of Namibians who couldn’t endure the wait.
Leading the opposition front is Panduleni Itula of the IPC, who managed to accrue 25.5% of the total poll. The 67-year-old Dentist’s popularity has definitely soared over the last 5 years, when he ran against the late Hage Geingob, as he managed to dent SWAPO’s popularity and caused a reduction in their poll from the previous years. Meanwhile, Itula has promised to “pursue justice through the courts” over the irregularities during the electoral process and thus, encouraged the citizens who felt they’ve been wronged by the electoral commission to make a statement at their local police station.
Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah: Early Life and Political Career
Born on 29th October 1952, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, popularly known as NNN is currently serving as the Vice-president of Namibia, a position she stepped into earlier in February 2024 after the demise of President Hage Geingob. After Geingob’s death in February, President Nagolo Mbumba who was the serving vice-president at the time stepped in as the president, leaving the vice-president’s seat vacant. Nandi-Ndaitwah then stepped in as the vice president and became the first female vice president in Namibia.
Born and raised in an Anglican family, NNN began her academic journey at St. Mary’s Mission in Odibo before joining SWAPO in 1974 where she worked until 1975. From 1975 to 1976, Nandi-Ndaitwah pursued her diploma at Lenin Higher Komsomol School in the Soviet Union before proceeding to the UK where she barged a post-graduate diploma in Public Administration and Management from the Glasglow College of Technology in 1987. NNN didn’t stop there, she further pursued another post-graduate diploma in International Relations from Keele University in 1988 and then a master’s degree in diplomatic studies, also from Keele University, UK.
Before becoming the vice president, Namibia’s president-elect served as the deputy prime minister of the country, a position she took on in 2015. But even before then, she was the minister of International Relations and Cooperation between December 2012 and 2015. NNN also served as the minister of Environment and Tourism from March 2010 to December 2012.
Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah began her political career as the SWAPO deputy representative in Zambia from 1976 until 1978, when she became the party’s chief representative. A position she remained in until 1980 when she ascended to the party’s chief representative in East Africa until 1986. During that time, she was concurrently on the SWAPO central committee and then went ahead to lead the Namibian National Women’s Organization (NANAWO) from 1991 to 1994.
Since then, NNN has served in multiple capacities, including as a member of the National Assembly of Namibia, where she has been a member since 1990. She also served as the Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation from 1990 to 1996, director-general of Women’s Affair from 1996 to 2000, minister of Women’s Affairs and Child Welfare from 2000 to 2005,and minister of Information and Broadcasting from 2005 to 2010,before ascending to the Minister of Environment and Tourism in March 2010.
With her victory in the November 27th through 30th election, Ndemupelila Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah will join the leagues of Sahle-Work Zewde of Ethiopia and Samia Suluhu Hassan of Tanzania, among others, as female presidents in Africa.
Nandi-Ndaitwah’s Manifesto: A Promise of Economic Growth and Policy Implementation
The president-elect, in her manifesto, has promised to prioritize policy implementations that drive towards Namibia’s economic growth. The manifesto projected her leadership experience and projects her as a qualified leader with a clear-cut of visions and aspirations for Namibia.
Her manifesto is focused on policy implementation and economic growth. Her administration has promised to focus on agriculture and tourism, especially in the Zambezi region known for its fertile land and abundant natural resources. On healthcare, she will focus on upgrading existing facilities, such as clinics into health centers, and health centers into hospitals.
On job creation, she reinstated the SWAPO party’s commitment to develop agriculture, sports, creative industries, and other sectors that promote job creation and youth engagement. Overall, the administration promises to deliver prudent financial and vibrant economic management that prioritizes the social welfare of Namibians.
Final Thoughts
Nandi-Ndaitwah’s victory at the recently concluded Namibia poll is a testament to gender equality in Africa’s political landscape. While she’s not the first female president in Africa, she has achieved a ground-breaking victory and charted a new political path in Namibia. With her years of service in multiple portfolios in the government, NNN’s understanding of the country’s political and economic landscape cannot be disputed. But what should Namibia expect of their first female president? While the manifesto portrays a leader with a clear vision and eye for growth, we can only be hopeful of fulfilled promises.