Cintia A. , Lebledparle.com
Namibia has made history as Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah was sworn in today Friday March 21 becoming Namibia’s first female president at 72. Her swearing-in which was held in Windhoek coincides with Namibia’s 35th independence anniversary, making it a historic moment for the nation.
Nandi-Ndaitwah is a veteran politician and has been a member of the South West Africa People’s Organisation (SWAPO) for many years. She has served in significant government positions, including Vice President (since 2022) and Foreign Minister (2012-2022). She was elected president on November 27, 2024, amidst controversy over the outcome of the election. Nandi-Ndaitwah succeeds Hage Geingob, who passed away on February 4, 2024, while in office.
In her inaugural speech today, she reaffirmed her commitment to maintaining good governance, economic development, and social inclusivity. She equally pledged to diversifying the economy and dealing with high youth unemployment rates by investing more in agriculture and ensuring that Namibians benefit more from the country’s natural resources through value addition.
Her presidency is a triumph for women in politics, particularly in Africa. The country is now part of an increasing number of African nations to have female heads of state, after Liberia’s Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (2006-2018), Joyce Banda of Malawi (2012-2014) and Tanzania’s Samia Suluhu Hassan (since 2021).
As she comes into office, all eyes will be on how she fulfills her campaign undertakings and deals with the issues of tomorrow. Most Namibians, as well as the youth and women, are hopeful that her reign will bring change for good to the country.
