Namibia has sworn in its first female president, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, to lead a country facing significant challenges. With 58% of the vote, she won November’s election and will be Africa’s second directly elected female president after Liberia’s Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
Nandi-Ndaitwah, 72, has been a long-time loyalist of the ruling South West Africa People’s Organisation (Swapo), which has held power since Namibia gained independence in 1990. The party’s legacy is marked by patterns of wealth and land ownership that date back to apartheid-era South Africa.
Addressing her inauguration, Nandi-Ndaitwah emphasized the need for reform, particularly in regards to land ownership. She committed to the “willing-buyer, willing-seller” principle, allowing citizens to sell their land voluntarily without coercion.
Namibia is one of the world’s most unequal countries, with a high poverty rate and unemployment level of 36.9%. Nandi-Ndaitwah aims to diversify the economy by increasing value-added industries and promoting creative sectors. She also seeks to modernize the education sector to better suit new economic realities.
As only the second African woman to be directly elected president, Nandi-Ndaitwah hopes to prove that women can hold positions of authority. Her inauguration marks a significant step towards progress in Africa’s gender equality efforts.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cly8ln5g12wo