Southern Africa’s desert nation of Namibia on Friday swore in Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah as its first woman president after she secured victory in elections that extended the ruling party’s 35-year grip on power.
Nandi-Ndaitwah, 72, took the oath of office in a ceremony attended by several African heads of state, including leaders from Angola, South Africa, and Tanzania. Her inauguration makes her one of the few women to lead an African nation.
A veteran of the South West Africa People’s Organisation, Nandi-Ndaitwah previously served as vice president and has been part of the movement since the age of 14. SWAPO led Namibia’s independence struggle against apartheid South Africa, gaining sovereignty in 1990.
Outgoing President Nangolo Mbumba, 83, officially handed over power at a ceremony that coincided with Namibia’s 35th Independence Day. The event, initially planned for Independence Stadium, was relocated to State House due to rare heavy rains.
As Nandi-Ndaitwah, affectionately known as NNN, took the oath, applause and ululations erupted from the gathered crowd.
Before delivering her inaugural address, she called upon former African women leaders in attendance, including Liberia’s Nobel Peace laureate and former president, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, to stand. Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan, currently the only other woman leading an African nation, was also present.
In her speech, Nandi-Ndaitwah acknowledged the significance of her election but emphasized that it was based on merit rather than gender.
“I was not elected because I’m a woman but on merit. As women, we should not ask to be elected to positions of responsibility because we are women, but because we are capable members of our society,” she stated.
Nandi-Ndaitwah, who last year became the first woman to lead SWAPO, won the November 2024 elections with 58 percent of the vote despite major logistical failures that led to multiple extensions of the polls.
The youthful opposition party, Independent Patriots for Change, mounted a strong challenge but secured only 25.5 per cent of the presidential vote, indicating that despite waning popularity of other southern African liberation movements, loyalty to SWAPO remains strong.
A major issue during the elections was youth unemployment, which stood at 44 per cent among those aged 18 to 34 in 2023.
Addressing the economic challenges facing Namibia, Nandi-Ndaitwah outlined her administration’s plans for investment in infrastructure to promote economic growth and improve livelihoods.
“We will increase investment in the development of infrastructure to open investment opportunities, enhance economic productivity, promote economic growth and improve the quality of life of our people,” she said in her first speech as president.
Namibia, a sparsely populated country of just three million people, is one of the world’s leading uranium producers and is also rich in diamonds, yet it faces a high disparity between rich and poor.
Nandi-Ndaitwah listed agricultural improvements, addressing rural-to-urban migration, and implementing universal health coverage as key priorities for her administration.
She also highlighted climate change as a pressing concern, attributing the recent heavy rains to environmental degradation.
“We will continue to contribute to the international effort to address global challenges facing humanity today, such as environmental degradation and climate change,” she said.
In her speech, Nandi-Ndaitwah expressed support for the right of Palestinians and the people of Western Sahara to self-determination. She also called for the lifting of international sanctions against Cuba, Venezuela, and Zimbabwe.
Known for her socially conservative views, Nandi-Ndaitwah is the daughter of an Anglican pastor and has taken a strict stance against abortion, which remains illegal in Namibia except in exceptional circumstances. Gay marriage is also prohibited.
Among those celebrating the milestone was businesswoman Monica Geingos, widow of former President Hage Geingob, who died in office in 2024.
“We are living a historic moment. Super excited at the inauguration of a female president,” Geingos said as she arrived for the event.
