Namibia's president-elect pledges 'radical shifts' on poverty and unemployment
Namibia's President-elect, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, vowed to introduce "radical changes" to tackle the nation’s high poverty and unemployment rates during her first press conference on Thursday following her election victory.
Set to take office in March as Namibia’s first female president, Nandi-Ndaitwah hinted at potential departures from the policies of her SWAPO party predecessors on key social and economic issues. SWAPO has governed Namibia since its independence from apartheid South Africa in 1990. "It will not be business as usual," the 72-year-old leader declared. "We must adopt radical shifts to address the challenges our people face."
While she did not outline specific policies, Nandi-Ndaitwah emphasized the importance of land reform and fair wealth distribution.
Despite being classified by the World Bank as an upper-middle-income country, Namibia remains one of the most unequal nations globally, with deep-seated poverty rooted in its history of white minority rule. A 2021 government report revealed that 43% of Namibians lived in "multidimensional poverty," which considers factors such as income, education, and access to public services.
Nandi-Ndaitwah secured approximately 57% of the votes in the November 27 election, according to the electoral commission. However, opposition parties, including the Independent Patriots for Change, alleged irregularities and voter suppression, citing technical issues such as ballot paper shortages. They intend to challenge the results in court.
Nandi-Ndaitwah dismissed these accusations, stating, "I am not even listening to those critics." The electoral commission has defended the process as free and fair, urging all Namibians to respect the outcome.
