The Namibian government has sworn in Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah as the first female president, marking a historic moment in the country’s political landscape.
According to Al-Jazeera’s report, Nandi-Ndaitwah assumed office at 72 years old on Friday, following her victory in the country’s last year election, leading to an extension of the ruling SWAPO party’s dominance after 35 years in power.
The inauguration ceremony, originally planned for the Independence Stadium, was reportedly moved to the State House due to rare heavy rains.
Meanwhile, the event was attended by heads of state from across Africa, including leaders from Angola, South Africa, and Tanzania.
The outgoing President Nangolo Mbumba, who handed the power to Nandi-Ndaitwah, acknowledged the historic significance of her election.
According to Mbumba, the country is witnessing one of its “foremost daughters breaking through the glass ceiling. It has been a long time coming,” he said.
In her inaugural speech, Nandi-Ndaitwah recognised the historical achievement but stressed that her election was a result of competence and merit, not just gender, reiterating that while Namibia has made significant progress since its independence, much more remains to be done.
“While we celebrate the progress we have made, there’s still a lot that needs to be done,” she stated.
She previously served as vice president, also a long-time member of the South West Africa People’s Organisation, which led Namibia to independence from apartheid South Africa in 1990.
Nandi-Ndaitwah won 58 per cent of the vote in the 2024 elections, with her leadership coming at a time of considerable political and economic challenges.
To address the unemployment issue widespread among the young population, Nandi-Ndaitwah promised to prioritise job creation. “In the next five years, we must produce at least 500,000 jobs,” she told South Africa’s SABC on the eve of her inauguration.
She added that achieving this goal would require an investment of 85bn Namibian dollars ($4.67bn), focusing on key sectors such as agriculture, fishing, and the creative and sports industries.
Nandi-Ndaitwah urged all Namibians on national unity, advised them to work collaboratively for the future, stressing the importance of reconciliation after a contested election. “We can make our politics during the campaign and so on, but once it’s over, we must build Namibia together,” she said.
