Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah sworn in as Namibia’s first female president

Windhoek: Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah was sworn in as the first female president of Namibia after winning elections last year.

At a ceremony on Friday that coincided with Namibia’s 35th anniversary of independence, Nandi-Ndaitwah assumed office, succeeding outgoing President Nangolo Mbumba, who had taken over power following the death of former President Hage Geingob in 2024, Xinhua news agency reported.

As Namibia’s fifth president since its independence in 1990, Nandi-Ndaitwah won the 2024 presidential election with 57 per cent of the vote.

“The task facing me, as the fifth president of the Republic of Namibia, is to preserve the gains of our independence on all fronts and to ensure that the unfinished agenda of economic and social advancement of our people is carried forward with vigor and determination to bring about shared balanced prosperity for all,” Nandi-Ndaitwah said in her inaugural speech as president.

“I am optimistic that, as a nation, we can make a success of our country. We must work together as a united people with one heart and one mind,” she added.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by heads of state from several African countries, as well as leaders of international and regional organisations.

Nandi-Ndaitwah, 72, is a member of Namibia’s ruling South West Africa People’s Organization (SWAPO) party, which has been in power since the country gained independence in 1990. She joined the party when it was leading the struggle for independence and has since held several senior positions.

Nandi-Ndaitwah entered the National Assembly in 1990 and became a cabinet minister in 2000, leading the Ministry of Women Affairs and Child Welfare.

She later served as minister of information and broadcasting, minister of environment and tourism, and minister of foreign affairs. In February 2024, she became Namibia’s first female vice president.

–IANS