Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah is sworn in as Namibia’s first female leader

Written by: Sachin Mane

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Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah was sworn in as Namibia’s first female president on Friday, marking a historic achievement nearly 60 years after she joined the liberation movement that fought for independence from apartheid South Africa.

At 72 years old, Nandi-Ndaitwah won the November election, becoming one of the few female leaders in Africa, joining the ranks of figures like Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia, Joyce Banda of Malawi, and Samia Suluhu Hassan of Tanzania. Sirleaf, Banda, and current Tanzanian President Hassan attended the inauguration in support of Nandi-Ndaitwah.

Her swearing-in ceremony coincided with the 35th anniversary of Namibia’s independence. However, due to heavy rain, the event was moved from a soccer stadium, where thousands were expected to attend, to the official presidential office.

The newly sworn-in president, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, took an oath to defend, uphold, and support Namibia’s constitution in front of visiting leaders from South Africa, Zambia, Congo, Botswana, Angola, and Kenya.

Nandi-Ndaitwah succeeds Nangolo Mbumba, who had been serving as Namibia’s acting president since February 2024 following the death of President Hage Geingob. Nandi-Ndaitwah had been elevated to vice president after Geingob’s passing.

Nandi-Ndaitwah becomes only the fifth president of Namibia, a sparsely populated country in southwestern Africa. Namibia was a German colony until the end of World War I and later gained independence from South Africa in 1990, following decades of struggle and a guerrilla war against South African forces that lasted more than 20 years.

“As Namibia’s fifth president, my task is to protect the gains of our independence across all areas and to push forward with the unfinished work of advancing the economic and social well-being of our people,” Nandi-Ndaitwah stated. “I am committed to ensuring that we achieve shared and balanced prosperity for all.”

Nandi-Ndaitwah is a long-time member of the South West Africa People’s Organization (SWAPO), which led Namibia’s independence movement and has been the ruling party ever since.

Born as the ninth of 13 children, Nandi-Ndaitwah’s father was an Anglican clergyman. She attended a mission school, where she later worked as a teacher. She joined SWAPO as a teenager in the 1960s and spent several years in exile across Zambia, Tanzania, the former Soviet Union, and the United Kingdom during the 1970s and 1980s.

Nandi-Ndaitwah has served as a lawmaker in Namibia since 1990 and was the country’s foreign minister before becoming vice president.

In her inauguration speech, she emphasized her commitment to good governance, high ethical standards in public institutions, and strengthening regional cooperation. She also expressed support for the self-determination of Palestinians and the people of Western Sahara, as well as the need to lift sanctions on Cuba, Venezuela, and Zimbabwe.

She also reiterated Namibia’s commitment to combating climate change, a critical issue for a dry country like Namibia, which faces frequent droughts.

Her husband, a retired general who once led Namibia’s armed forces, holds the title of “first gentleman.” Nandi-Ndaitwah’s swearing-in followed the election of Namibia’s first female speaker in Parliament.

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