Namibia has carved its name into the history books, accomplishing a milestone that most countries around the world have yet to achieve. By electing its first female president, the Southwest African country is setting a new global precedent.
Barely a month after being sworn in, President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah is placing her confidence squarely in women to drive Namibia’s growth.
She appointed Lucia Witbooi as vice president, while Saara Kuugongelwa also took on the role of Speaker of the National Assembly of Namibia.
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Further stressing her commitment to women’s leadership, President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah prioritized female appointments in her cabinet — out of the 14 ministers sworn in, eight are women.
READ ALSO: Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah makes history as Namibia’s first female president
Another key figure in Nandi-Ndaitwah’s administration is Selma Ashipala-Musavyi, who now serves as the minister for international relations and trade.
“I have no doubt that we will deliver on what the people of Namibia have mandated to do,” she affirmed.
President Nandi-Ndaitwah emphasized that ministries must implement programs targeted at eradicating poverty.
“The functions of marginalized and disability affairs will be placed in the office of the vice president to get the attention they need,” she stated, urging Namibians to allow her Cabinet the time and space to fulfill their responsibilities.
In the latest episode of the BreakDown on PanaGenius TV, host Sandra Babu-Boateng delves into the bold strides made by the Namibian president. Watch the full episode below and share your thoughts with us — and don’t forget to subscribe to our channel for more updates.
Remarkably, Namibia now stands as the only African nation with both a female president and a female vice president. Adding to this historic feat, the appointment of a woman as Speaker of the National Assembly marks Namibia as the only country globally to have women in its top three leadership positions.
Upon assuming office, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah also announced a strategic reduction of government ministries from 21 to 14, with seven deputy ministers appointed.
Outlining major structural reforms, Nandi-Ndaitwah stated that the trade mandate would now reside under the Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation to better advance economic diplomacy and foster regional and continental integration.
She further explained that industrialization efforts would shift to the Ministry of Mines and Energy, aligning industrial growth with the nation’s mineral wealth through value-addition strategies.
READ ALSO: Namibia to roll out free university education by 2026
In addressing Namibia’s burgeoning oil and gas sector, she stressed the importance of ensuring these industries benefit all citizens. “Therefore, the management of these industries will fall under the Office of the President,” she added.
As she charts this ambitious course, President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah and her administration face the formidable task of tackling Namibia’s deep-rooted challenges, including soaring unemployment, entrenched inequality, and pervasive poverty.
