Kim Heller
Namibia is no nirvana despite its glorious natural beauty and splendour of mineral wealth.
The haunting stain of poverty, inequality and economic decay in post-independent Namibia is an everyday reminder of the spoil of German colonialism, and the failure of the South West Africa People’s Organisation (SWAPO) to reverse the open wounds of colonial plunder.
A sharp drop in support for SWAPO from 87% in 2014 to just 57% in the 2024 national election, signposts a governing party disconnected from its people.
Against this disconsolate backdrop, the election of Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah as the country’s fifth President since independence has rekindled an air of sanguinity. The first female President of Namibia looks poised to usher in a new chapter for SWAPO, Namibia, and the SADC region.
The success of this SWAPO veteran, who has been actively engaged in the liberation struggle since her teenage years, and who has held several Ministerial posts, will depend on her capacity to effectively and decisively address significant socio-economic stagnation, regain the trust of ordinary Namibians and strengthen the nation’s sovereignty.
It is no easy task to preside over one of the most unequal nations in the world, where youth unemployment and economic stagnation hold prosperity at bay.
The first woman to assume the Presidential role in Namibia is already demonstrating a fierce determination to improve the fate and fortune of ordinary citizens and elevate national sovereignty.
During her election campaign, she assured voters she would deliver on her promises. Since taking office on 21 March 2025, President Nandi-Ndaitwah has acted with a decisiveness that is rare among leaders in the Continent. She is acutely aware of the pressing need to elevate performance and perceptions of SWAPO after its dismal election performance.
Her revitalisation plan includes economic diversification, job creation, youth development, affordable housing, and agricultural productivity in a quest to boost prosperity and self-sufficiency.
Her bold resolution for the Office of the President to directly oversee the country’s vital oil and gas sector to ensure “maximum benefits for all Namibians” is a sundial of sovereignty.
Her call for Germany to pay Namibia reparations continues the pose and prose of former President Hage Geingob on pursuing full accountability for colonial plunder. She swiftly imposed visa requirements for the US and other Western countries that were previously exempt.
This is a deliberate, calculated tactic to even out prejudicial imbalances in travel, trade and diplomacy and fashion more reciprocal relations. It is a vote of confidence in Namibia, rather than a snub of tourists and trade partners from these countries.
The move is central to her policy of asserting Namibia’s authority and influence. While risky, the longer-term strategic benefits are likely to offset any immediate discomfort or losses in tourism and trade.
In a bold move, the new President has severely clipped the Cabinet, signalling her intent to prune costs and make Namibia’s public service and purse more efficient. She lost no time in appointing a female vice President and Finance Minister. Of fourteen ministers, nine are female.
She has defied the trend of placing women as deputies. In her cabinet, women are not playing second fiddle to men. The new Cabinet has also been infused with young leaders, which is likely to resonate well across the youthful Namibian citizenry.
Fully aware of the significant responsibility of being a woman leader in the male-dominated political arena, the new President appears super-charged to succeed.
Gender specialist, Michael Conteh, wrote in the Namibian that, “The nation deserves to celebrate Nandi-Ndaitwah’s remarkable victory as more than just a victory for one woman; it is clear recognition of Namibia and Southern African Development Community’s (SADC) efforts towards empowering women across all sectors, eradicating systemic barriers, and envisioning a better and just world".
Her championing of parity and participation in the highest rungs of political leadership may well reverberate across SADC and inspire a much-needed gender revolution. The notion of women Presidents or heads of state in Africa remains particularly elusive within its patriarchal political landscape, where leadership roles are predominantly reserved for men.
Nandi-Ndaitwah shares the top spot with just two other women in Africa: Liberia’s Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan.
In 2017, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, one of South Africa's most qualified and accomplished politicians, and the first female head of the African Union aspired to the presidency.
Unfortunately, South Africa was robbed of the opportunity to have their first female President, principally due to patriarchy, both within the ANC and society at large. Dr Dlamini Zuma has previously pointed to the slow progress of gender parity in the power game of politics. She has correctly pointed out that "Africa won't rise if women don't rise."
The new President's action-orientated leadership approach will be valuable within the SADC region where the urgent address of economic integration, security and stability are of prime importance.
During her term as Namibia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, she emphasised the need for regional integration and multilateral cooperation. On the occasion of the Southern Africa Liberation Dau on 23 March 2025, President Nandi-Ndaitwah paid tribute to the men and women who had sacrificed their lives for freedom and peace in the Continent. She also reasserted Namibia's commitment to work "alongside fellow SADC countries to advance our shared developmental aspirations for the benefit of current and future generations."
It is early days. But President Nandi-Ndaitwah is already making her mark. She has stated that her term will not be "business as usual".
She is already redefining the coordinates of local governance and reshaping the geopolitical terms of engagements with foreign partners. Her term in office is pivotal to the longevity of SWAPO, the sovereignty and sustainable well-being of Namibia and peace and security in the SADC region.
The stakes are high and she cannot afford to fail.
* Kim Heller is a political analyst and author of No White Lies: Black Politics and White Power in South Africa.
** The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of IOL or Independent Media.