Nandi-Ndaitwah sworn in as the Namibia’s first female president

Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has been sworn in as the first female president of Namibia.

The 72-year-old Nandi-Ndaitwah won an election in November with more than 57 percent of the votes cast, with Panduleni Itula, her closest rival, getting 26 percent, according to the electoral commission.

She has now joined a handful of female leaders in Africa after the likes of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia, Joyce Banda of Malawi, and Samia Suluhu Hassan of Tanzania.

Sirleaf and Banda, now former leaders of their countries, and current Tanzania President Hassan all attended Nandi-Ndaitwah’s inauguration.

Outgoing president Nangolo Mbumba, 83, handed power to Nandi-Ndaitwah at a ceremony that coincided with the 35th anniversary of Namibia’s independence.

In her inaugural address, Nandi-Ndaitwah pledged to boost Namibia’s economy, create jobs, and foster unity in a politically divided nation. She aims to expand employment opportunities in agriculture, fishing, and the creative and sports industries. 

On her election as Namibia’s first woman president, she told SABC: “Of course it’s a good thing that we are breaking the ceiling, we are breaking the walls.”

Namibia is the world’s third or fourth biggest natural uranium producer, depending on the year, and supplies the radioactive metal to countries producing nuclear power, including France.