International Women’s Day is celebrated annually on 8 March across the globe. This year’s theme is ‘Accelerate Action’, aimed to instruct and remind us that the time for policymaking is to be replaced by implementations. It seeks to acknowledge public and private policies and strategies that positively impact women’s upliftment. The purpose of the day is for both men and women to consider taking actions geared towards gender equality. A day for self-assessment by both genders in relation to contributions made to gender equality in both personal and professional lives. Every adult human being, irrespective of race, religion, sex, or ethnic origin, should accelerate action in all spheres of life, be it political, cultural, social, economic, or religious, to contribute to the personal growth of the community you live in. A platform when leaders of women’s organisations, for example, the Swapo Party Women’s Council (SPWC) and many others, are expected to plan for hard work and continue to inculcate in the Namibian masses the patriotic sentiments and mobilise them to concentrate on the economic development of our country starting at the personal level. 

During that period, SPWC made a call to all women to raise a boy and girl child equally for sustainable development. 

At the time, the importance of raising a boy child to be able to live independently, carrying out house chores such as cleaning dishes, and clothes, and cooking for himself, was emphasised. 

In this case, the request is aimed at highlighting that parallel to emancipating the minds, continuous improvement of the material conditions is necessary to facilitate the empowerment of women. This was and still is a clarion call that the role played by women in changing the conditions of the lives of the people must be felt and seen. This year’s theme, however, strengthened the latter as it concentrates on a need to put more effort into action, which is a way for real positive impact to be observed. Thus, the theme: ‘Accelerate Action.’ 

Yet another confirmation that women consider themselves a major force in the current and future building and development of any country, including Namibia. 

Namibians at large and specifically members of SPWC are still mourning, at the same time celebrating a well-lived life of a founding president of the Swapo Party, Founding President Sam Shafiishuna Nujoma, who managed very well the Swapo Consultative Congress, which took place from 26 December 1969 until 02 January 1970 in Tanga, Tanzania. A congress that took place during the heart of the festive season. Yet, the commitment and dedication to the total liberation of Namibia were placed on top of the list of activities by the congress delegates. By that time, the campaign for gender equality was prioritised such that two women, namely Dr Libertina Inaaviposa Amathila and Meekulu Putuse Appolus, out of 28 delegates in attendance resolved that there shall be a women’s wing called Swapo Women’s Council (SWC), now well known as Swapo Party Women’s Council. 

Credit is given to His Excellency Sam Shafiishuna Nujoma, the chairperson of the congress, for not withdrawing or delaying or deferring the point of discussion aimed at formalising the establishment of the Swapo women’s wing. 

Indeed, a formidable wing, good to be reckoned with until today. My appreciation for the strong leadership foundation of the Swapo Party Women’s Council goes to its leaders, such as Maria Ambwiyu, Maria Nehoya, Uncle Vinia Helao Ndadi, Meekulu Putuse Appolus, Dr Libertina Inaaviposa Amathila, and Penny Hashoongo, Martha Ford, Pendukeni Iivula- Ithana, Gertrude Kandanga-Hilukilwa, Loide Shinovene, Maria Kapere, Idda Jimmy Haeiros, Ida Hofmann, Ellen Musialela, Erica Ramakhutla, Eunice Iipinge, Petrina Haingura and many others. Thank you very much for your contributions and efforts, which made us find a clear path. 

Accelerating actions for gender equality means creating conducive environments and conditions for target groups, such as an inclusive approach whereby people with various disabilities, like blind, deaf, and so on, are catered for in decision-making positions. In Namibia, this year’s regional and local authority elections will take place, and political parties, associations, and so on will take part. It is time to improve the current worrying situation in which few women occupy positions of regional authority councillors. 

The purpose of International Women’s Day is to provoke discussions on ways and strategies to be used to ensure a large number of female councillors at the regional authority level. The legacy of Founding President Sam Nujoma will forever be alive; to this end, I am referencing the leadership of Nujoma, which continued to spearhead the inclusiveness of women in leadership even when Namibia as a country gained independence. Further testimony to that was during the first ordinary congress of Swapo held in Windhoek, 2-11 December 1991, one of the congress resolutions is that “women should be involved at the decision-making level in the planning and implementation of projects affecting their lives.” 

This is exactly what today’s theme is seeking and an indicator that the founding president of the Swapo Party’s target of women empowerment was very clear and intentional. Her Excellency Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, President-Elect of the Republic of Namibia, is a living testimony to the following: In the year 1990, the creation of the Women’s Desk in the Office of President Sam Shafiishuna Nujoma; in 1992, the desk was elevated to the Department of Women Affairs in the Office of President Sam Shafiishuna Nujoma, and again in the year 2000, the Ministry of Women Affairs and Child Welfare was created. The mandate of the ministry was to develop, promote, facilitate, coordinate, implement, monitor, and evaluate the process of legal, political, and socio-economic development of women, men, and children equitably in all spheres of life and to ensure gender equality. The placement of Nandi-Ndaitwah in the Office of the President is an indication that Nujoma had a gift for identifying talents, both men and women and putting them to good use. This year’s theme of the day is befitting in the Namibian context as it begs for a celebration of the acceleration in the implementation of gender equality policies. At this juncture, I express gratitude to the Swapo Party for the opportunities given to women of Namibia. For the first time, the Republic of Namibia will have a female head of State, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah. 

Against the given background, a motion worth moving today to the President-Elect, who will be sworn in on 21 March 2025. 

The public motion of confidence in the president-elect is influenced by comrade Nandi-Ndaitwah’s leadership philosophy, which is rooted in and underpinned by five principles, namely, pragmatism, integrity, accountability, meritocracy, and inclusivity, abbreviated as PIAMI. 

*This is the abridged version of the original text. 

*Fransina Ndateelela Kahungu is a former mayor of Windhoek and secretary for the Swapo Party Women’s Council.