23 Mar 2025

President Advocate Duma Boko joined over 20 heads of state and other dignitaries as Dr Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah etched her name into the annals of history on Friday after being sworn in as the first woman president for Namibia since independence 35 years ago.

The 72-year-old former vice president was sworn in on the nation’s 35th Independence Day. The only other serving female president on the continent is Tanzania’s Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan. Dr Nandi-Ndaitwah is one of only five women in Africa that had risen to presidential power through direct election. A handful of others have served as acting or interim presidents during periods of transition.

Outgoing president Dr Nangolo Mbumba handed power to Dr Nandi-Ndaitwah at a low key ceremony that was moved from the Independence Stadium to State House because of rare heavy rains. Tanzania president, Dr Hassan who was the guest speaker at the event said Dr Nandi-Ndaitwah had set the bar high for the African girl child.

“Your victory is the moment of pride for African women,” she said.

Dr Hassan said Dr Nandi-Ndaitwah is known as ‘Mama Swapo’ in Tanzania after she played a key role in the coordination of the liberation struggle for South West African People’s Organisation (SWAPO) in Tanzania.

She said the late Tanzania leader, Dr Julius Nyerere and the Namibian founding president Dr Sam Nujoma were undoubtedly beaming with pride that the emancipation and empowerment of women was bearing fruit as their two daughters were now leading two great nations.

“The two worked side by side in spheres of development and were instrumental in advancing women economic empowerment and gender equality,” she said.

She said solidarity for African nations entailed fostering strong relationships amongst nations as strength lied in unity.

For her part, the new president Dr Nandi-Ndaitwah vowed to continue with the solid foundations of peace, political stability and socio-economic development laid by her predecessors.
She said though Namibia had made significant strides in women empowerment, there was still more to be done.

“My victory will definitely encourage women to wok and stand tall. The position of responsibility requires capabilities,” she said.

She promised to increase the already existing good relations with her development partners and invest in the development of infrastructure. The Namibia president said policies on strengthening cooperation would continue to be encouraged, as it was part of the political programme and mandate of the ruling SWAPO. Dr Nandi-Ndaitwah vowed to promote economic growth and improve the quality of life of all Namibians.

Outgoing president, Dr Mbumba said the new leader’s ascension to the office was breaking through the glass ceiling. He said brave men made Namibia’s long journey to freedom possible and women who made sacrifices to make independence a reality. Dr Mbumba applauded the tireless efforts of late presidents Dr Nujoma and Dr Geingob for the magnificent commitment in shaping Namibia.

“Today marks the final occasion of saying goodbyes after an eventful tenure. It was a great honour. The difficult chapter in our history was losing two iconic characters. Now we face a new chapter of hope, promises and prosperity,” he said.

A seasoned politician, Dr Nandi-Ndaitwah has been a member of the national assembly of Namibia since 1990. She first attained ministerial status in 1996 as director general of women’s affairs in the Office of the President, a role she held until 2000. She was appointed deputy prime minister under Dr Geingob in 2015, remaining a key figure in SWAPO's central committee.

In 2023, the late Dr Geingob named her presidential candidate for the 2024 general elections. At the time of Dr Geingob’s passing, she was elevated to vice president as Dr Mbumba stepped up as head of state. ENDS