Samia graces historic inauguration of Namibia’s first female president

Dar es Salaam. President Samia Suluhu Hassan will on Friday, 21 March 2025, attend the historic inauguration of Namibia’s first female president, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah.

A statement from the Presidential Communications Directorate, signed by its director, Ms Sharifa Nyanga, confirmed that President Samia has been invited as guest of honour at the swearing-in ceremony, which coincides with Namibia’s 35th Independence Day celebrations.

“Tanzania and Namibia share a fraternal and historical relationship, grounded in the strong foundation laid by the late President Mwalimu Julius Nyerere and Namibia’s first president, the late Sam Nujoma, during the liberation struggle for southern African nations,” reads part of the statement dated March 20, 2025.

The statement further emphasised that successive leaders have nurtured these historical ties.

Beyond the inauguration, President Hassan will hold discussions with President-elect Nandi-Ndaitwah on strengthening bilateral relations between the two nations.

Nandi-Ndaitwah’s path to the presidency

Ms Nandi-Ndaitwah, 72, is set to make history as Namibia’s first female head of state.

At Namibia’s independence in 1990, “NNN”, as she is widely known, became a member of the National Assembly and has since held several ministerial positions.

However, her career briefly stalled when she was accused of supporting a rebel faction in the ruling party during the succession battle following President Nujoma.

Temporarily sidelined, she eventually regained political traction with the support of Nujoma’s successor, Hifikepunye Pohamba.

Ms Nandi-Ndaitwah exhibits some of his leadership traits, preferring to handle conflicts in a non-confrontational manner.

Her unassuming nature lends her authority and appeals to those who value humility over grandstanding.

Over one million Namibians—73 percent of registered voters—participated in the country’s 2024 National Assembly and presidential elections.

The South West Africa People’s Organisation (Swapo)—the former liberation movement that has governed since independence—retained power in the National Assembly with 53.4 percent of the vote, down from 65.5 percent in 2019.

Swapo’s representation in the 96-seat assembly fell from 63 to 51 seats

Ms Nandi-Ndaitwah secured 57.3 percent of the presidential vote, slightly surpassing the 56.3 percent won by President Hage Geingob in 2019.

However, opposition parties challenged the results over alleged irregularities. Nevertheless, the court upheld her victory, paving the way for her inauguration on 21 March.

A journey of resilience

Born on 29 October 1952 in Onamutai village, Oshana region, northern Namibia, Ms Nandi-Ndaitwah was one of 13 children raised by her mother, Ms Justina Nekoto Nandi, and father, Mr Petrus Nandi, an Anglican Church reverend.

She attended St Mary’s Mission School in Odibo.

Politically active from a young age, she chaired the Swapo Youth League in Ovamboland, the party’s northern stronghold.

Alongside Lutheran Bishop Leonard Auala and Anglican Bishop Suffragan Wood, she campaigned against public floggings, a tool of oppression under apartheid.

She was imprisoned for several months in late 1973 before fleeing into exile in 1974 to join Swapo.

A Swapo Central Committee member from 1976 to 1986, she served as the party’s chief representative in Lusaka (1978–1980) and later in East Africa, based in Dar es Salaam (1980–1986).

She then pursued studies at Glasgow College of Technology (graduating in public administration and development in 1987) and Keele University, where she earned a diploma in international relations (1988) and a master’s in diplomatic studies (1989).

In 1983, she married Epaphras Denga Ndaitwah, a senior commander in Swapo’s armed wing, the People’s Liberation Army of Namibia.

He later served as Chief of the Namibian Defence Force from 2011 until his retirement in 2013.

A continuation of Swapo’s legacy?

Swapo elected NNN as Namibia’s first female vice president in 2017, a position she retained in 2022, making her the party’s automatic presidential nominee for the 2024 election. The late President Geingob remarked at the time:

“This is a big day—we have made history by electing the first female president come 2024. I would like to tell her that your task ahead is a heavy one. When I step down, you become Swapo’s candidate to stand for the presidency.”

Ms Nandi-Ndaitwah has maintained a reputation for integrity, free of scandal, enhancing her credibility in the fight against corruption.

While her ability to enact change remains to be seen, her trustworthiness may prove a crucial asset. As noted by local journalists in an earlier profile:

“She stayed free of scandals and rose to become deputy prime minister and minister of international relations and cooperation, with a seat at Swapo’s top-four table. That could be her launch pad to the presidency in 2024.”

Despite her trailblazing status, Ms Nandi-Ndaitwah remains aligned with Swapo’s traditional policy framework.

She does not challenge the male-dominated political culture of the former liberation movement.

Although she previously served as president of the Namibian National Women’s Organisation (1991–1994) and as a rapporteur at the 1995 Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, she is not considered a feminist.

With strong Christian beliefs, she upholds conservative values, advocating for strict abortion regulations and opposing LGBTI+ rights.

During public debates in 2023, she expressed anti-LGBTI+ sentiments.

Her ideological outlook is rooted in her early political education. She attended a course at the Lenin Higher Komsomol School in the Soviet Union (1975–1976), earning a diploma in the communist youth movement.

She continues to maintain strong ties with China, Russia, and North Korea. Notably, she used the 2022 US-Africa summit in Washington as an opportunity for a stopover in Venezuela.

As Namibia’s next president, Ms Nandi-Ndaitwah is expected to prioritise continuity over reform, steering the country towards stability rather than radical change.

However, with Swapo’s declining popularity since 2019, she may have to navigate political headwinds in the years ahead.