Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, Namibia's inaugural female president, was sworn into office. She has pledged to broaden the nation’s economic activities and combat joblessness.
On Friday, the 72-year-old Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, often referred to as NNN, took the oath of office to become Namibia’s inaugural female president in the southern part of Africa.
The SWAPO party, which has governed this nation of roughly 3 million inhabitants for more than thirty years, emerged victorious in both the recent presidential and parliamentary elections held in November. As the former deputy president, Nandi-Ndaitwah secured 58% of the votes cast.
The outgoing 83-year-old President Nangolo Mbumba transferred power during a ceremony that overlapped with Namibia's 35th anniversary of independence. The event was relocated from the Independence Stadium to State House in Windhoek because of unusually intense rainfall.
Nandi-Ndaitwah becomes the fourth female president in Africa, following Ellen Johnson Sirleaf from Liberia, Joyce Banda of Malawi, and Samia Suluhu Hassan from Tanzania.
Sirleaf and Banda, who previously led their respective nations, along with Tanzania’s present President Hassan, were among those who attended Nandi-Ndaitwah's swearing-in ceremony.
The inauguration of Nandi-Ndaitwah took place one day following the election of Namibia's first woman Speaker of Parliament, former Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila.
What did Nandi-Ndaitwah say?
During her inaugural speech as president, Nandi-Ndaitwah pledged to concentrate efforts on lowering youth unemployment and to make significant investments in renewable energy, farming, and infrastructure.
She stated that we will boost investments in infrastructure development to create new investment prospects, strengthen economic efficiency, foster economic expansion, and elevate the standard of living for our citizens.
The president additionally urged for the nation to adopt comprehensive healthcare coverage for all citizens.
She dedicated herself to diversifying the economy, aiming for citizens to "gain maximal advantages from our nation's natural assets via enhancing their value."
The president said Namibia would continue to contribute to efforts to combat climate change, an ongoing threat to the arid country that regularly experiences droughts.
In her address, Nandi-Ndaitwah voiced her backing for the right to self-determination of both Palestinians and the people from Western Sahara. She also advocated for removing international sanctions imposed on Cuba, Venezuela, and Zimbabwe.
Veteran politician in young nation
Nandi-Ndaitwah serves as merely the fifth president of Namibia, a nation that transitioned from being a German colony at the conclusion of World War I. With experience as a member of SWAPO—the South West Africa People’s Organization—she played an instrumental role in leading Namibia towards independence in 1990, a position her party has maintained since then.
In the 1960s, Namibia's inaugural female president became part of SWAPO during her teenage years. She then spent time in exile across several countries including Zambia, Tanzania, the former Soviet Union, and the United Kingdom throughout the 1970s and 1980s.
Since 1990, she has served as a legislator in Namibia and has occupied various Cabinet positions such as Minister of Environment and Minister of Foreign Affairs prior to her appointment as vice president.
Nandi-Ndaitwah's spouse is a former general who led Namibia's military and holds the official designation of "first gentleman."
Edited by: Sean Sinico
Author: Dmytro Hubenko (along with AP, AFP, dpa, Reuters)
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