Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has been sworn in as the first-ever female president of Namibia, succeeding Nangolo Mbumba, in a historic inauguration ceremony that heralds a new era of leadership and gender equality in the country.
Nandi-Ndaitwah took the oath of Office in the state house, surrounded by heads of state from several African countries including Angola, South Africa, and Tanzania among others.
The outgoing president on Friday, handed power to Nandi-Ndaitwah at a ceremony that coincided with the 35th anniversary of Namibia’s independence and was moved from the Independence Stadium to State House because of rare heavy rains.
“Namibia is witnessing one of its “foremost daughters breaking through the glass ceiling. It has been a long time coming,” Mbumba said during the hand over.
Previously in the post of vice president for a year, the septuagenarian emerged as the 5th president of the country after securing 58% of vote in the chaotic November elections, which were extended several times after logistical failures led to major delays.
The newly inaugurated president being only Africa’s second-ever directly elected female president, will have to deal with the burden of leading a country facing a high rate of unemployment, inequality, and poverty.
Namibia, a country with three million population, is one of the world’s most unequal countries, with a Gini coefficient of 59.1 in 2015, according to the World Bank, which projects poverty is expected to remain high at 17.2% in 2024.
According to the country’s statistics agency, the unemployment rate in Southern Africa rose to 36.9% in 2023 from 33.4% in 2018.
During an interview before her inauguration, Nandi-Ndaitwah said the economy, which partly relies on mineral exports, should work more on adding value to what the country extracts from the ground rather than exporting raw materials.
The president added that she wants Namibia to focus more on creative industries and get the education sector to adjust to new economic realities.
“If things go well then it will be seen as a good example. But if anything then happens, like it can happen in any administration under men, there are also those who would rather say: ‘Look at women!, ‘”Nandi-Ndaitwah added.
