Namibians are living in interesting times politically. The Electoral Commission of Namibia announced official Presidential and National Assembly election results that marked the start of a new era in the country’s body politics. Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah (NNN) won the presidential seat with 57.31%, making her the first democratically elected female president for the Republic of Namibia. 

The ruling Swapo Party won 51 elective seats in the 96-member National Assembly. From the look of things, the recently concluded elections were undoubtedly the most hotly contested since the dawn of Namibia’s independence. Clearly, the Namibian democratic and political environment is constantly shifting and evolving with the passing of time.

Democratic space 

The people of Namibia have spoken through their votes; they have demonstrated clearly and plainly that our democracy is strong, maturing, and robust, and it is enduring. The election of NNN to the highest office in the land has signalled an interesting shift in the Namibian body politic.

A wise man once observed that no one can ‘kill’ an idea whose opportune time has arrived. This is true for Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah’s triumph against all odds. It had been a hard road. Indeed, trying times need courage and resilience as exhibited by NNN. It is also argued that tough times do not last long, but tough people do. After a long journey characterised by turbulence, it is now a matter of formality; NNN’s dream of one day leading Namibia as a state president has been realised. On 21 March 2025, NNN is destined to be sworn in as the first democratically elected female president of Namibia. Her rise to the state presidency is largely attributed to her deeply enriching political career and leadership traits.

At the last Swapo Party campaign rally held in Windhoek, the then-presidential candidate, NNN, made a passionate appeal to all Namibian voters to go all out to vote in support of her candidacy and the ruling party to continue building on the successes of her predecessors. 

What it means for Namibia

The election of NNN as president of Namibia marks a pivotal moment in the nation’s history. As the first woman to hold the highest office in the land, her leadership brings fresh hope, not just for gender equality but also for the revitalisation of Namibia’s economic and social landscape. By electing the first female president, Namibia has raised the bar in the Southern African region, and other countries may draw inspiration from it.

Her miraculous rise to the highest office in the land is not an end. She is now faced with the daunting task of putting out a good strategy that demands choices and state priorities that will, in the end, define her presidential legacy as she prepares for her first term in office. President-elect Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah is now faced with the daunting responsibility of forming a government composed of a high-performance team to tackle the most difficult challenges facing the majority of the Namibian people. Truth be told, African societies are presently yearning for ethical and visionary leadership driven by result-orientated outcomes in terms of service delivery.

Road ahead 

A lot of work awaits the next government to help pull the vulnerable people out of the morass of poverty and continue building a capable, stable, developed, and prosperous state of Namibia. Many Namibians face multiple socio-economic challenges, which require an effective and responsive government. It would appear as if the common denominator emanating from the just-ended presidential and national assembly elections is that most Namibians are in distress due to a lack of socio-economic opportunities and expect a high-performance team chosen based on merit and strong credentials to meet the urgent tasks at hand. It is highly likely that the hallmark of her presidency, amongst other things, shall be defined by ethical leadership, effective service delivery, and result-driven outcomes and may demand accountability from her appointees who serve at her behest.

*Fluksman Samuehl is a former member of Parliament. The views expressed here are his own. This is an abridged version.