Namibia is set to swear in its first female president, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, on Friday after her election victory extended the ruling SWAPO party’s 35-year hold on power.
The 72-year-old, widely known as NNN, will take office in a ceremony attended by regional leaders, including those from Angola and South Africa.
A longtime stalwart of the South West Africa People’s Organisation (SWAPO), she previously served as vice president and played a key role in Namibia’s independence from apartheid South Africa in 1990.
Nandi-Ndaitwah secured 58% of the vote in the November elections, which faced significant logistical delays.
Her main challenger, the youthful opposition Independent Patriots for Change (IPC), took 25.5%, reflecting continued loyalty to SWAPO despite growing dissatisfaction with liberation-era parties across southern Africa.
A key issue in the election was unemployment, with 44% of young Namibians aged 18-34 jobless in 2023. Nandi-Ndaitwah has pledged to create 500,000 jobs over the next five years, focusing on agriculture, fishing, and creative industries, requiring an investment of 85 billion Namibian dollars ($4.67 billion).
Calling for national unity after a divisive campaign—during which the IPC unsuccessfully attempted to annul the results—she stated, “Once it’s over, we must build Namibia together.”
A conservative politician and daughter of an Anglican pastor, she has opposed abortion rights and same-sex marriage. Having spent part of her exile in Moscow during Namibia’s liberation struggle, she later served as foreign minister from 2012 to 2024, praising Namibia’s historical ties with North Korea.
Namibia, a major uranium producer, also boasts diamond reserves and emerging oil and gas opportunities.
Despite its vast potential for renewable energy, Nandi-Ndaitwah has expressed scepticism about the sector’s viability.
