Namibia’s first woman president-elect, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, will take office on March 21 in a ceremony to coincide with the country’s 35th Independence Day.
President-elect Nandi-Ndaitwah, 72, vice president for Namibia and the South West Africa People’s Organization (SWAPO), won the elections in November with 57.31% of the vote. Nandi-Ndaitwah is the first woman to hold the post in a southern African country. SWAPO has governed Namibia since its independence from apartheid South Africa in 1990.
“It’s not going to be business as usual,” Nandi-Ndaitwah, said of her presidency. “We must have radical shifts in addressing the plight of our people.”
She did not lay out specific plans, but mentioned a need for land reform and more equitable distribution of wealth.
Netumbo Ndaitwah, a formidable force in Namibia’s struggle for independence, has been a driving force since her teenage years. Joining the SWAPO movement at the tender age of 14, she remained steadfast in her unwavering belief that Namibians deserved freedom.
Her journey to this milestone is a testament to decades of dedication and sacrifice.