Ester Mbathera
As the Swapo Party prepares to finalise its candidate list for the National Assembly 2025-2029, the organisation’s vice president and presidential candidate, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, expressed the need for unity and comradeship among the delegates to the electoral college.
Nandi-Ndaitwah said this at the opening of the party’s highly anticipated electoral college, often referred to as the “POT,” on Sunday in Windhoek.
“I will continue to tell you, that you are all my favourites and that we must continue to have that and work as a team. Therefore, besides the difficult task before us, it must be done, and it must be done in a spirit of comradeship and nation-building for social and economic justice to be realised in our country,” she said.
Nandi-Ndaitwah expressed confidence in Swapo’s internal selection process, stating that each delegate had undergone rigorous grooming and was ready for national leadership.
“As a responsible organisation, our party has groomed future leaders over the past 34 years,” she said.
She highlighted the extensive experience and preparation that Swapo members have undergone, expressing confidence in their readiness for any leadership role within the party and the country.
“I am, therefore, speaking with confidence that some of you sitting here have tried and tested the cadets who are able and capable of taking up whatever responsibility is assigned to you,” she said.
Nandi-Ndaitwah did not shy away from the competitive nature of the Electoral College, which will see the selection of 96 candidates for the Swapo Party’s National Assembly list.
She maintained that the task before the delegates was not just to choose any candidates but to “choose the best from the best.”
Her Swapo’s dominance in Namibian politics over the past several decades suggests that the Electoral College will be crucial in determining the future leadership of the nation.
“The whole nation is looking at this hall, including the opposition, because they know the government is here, their power is here and the leaders are going to be determined by this forum,” she said.
Nangolo Mbumba, a party member and country president, described the role of those who will represent the Swapo in the National Assembly.
“You must work hard to achieve people-centred development and to ensure that we move closer to victory during the second struggle for economic liberation of all Namibians,” he said.
He informed the delegate that they must guarantee the party’s continued dominance and the election of Nandi-Ndaitwah as the nation’s next president.
He also reminds those who will emerge victorious from the POT and become potential candidates for public service.
“Namibians want more jobs; they want more business opportunities and housing. They want excellent health and education. They want to live in a crime-free society. In short, they want successful, prosperous and happy lives. Therefore, they expect from you, as their elected leaders, to provide all these things,” he said.
Forever Kavango East governor Samuel Mbambo emphasised the need for leaders in Namibia’s National Assembly who are not only representative of the country’s diverse society but are also capable of navigating the complexities of a rapidly changing global landscape.
“It is very important to keep that in mind, but also keep in mind the dynamics of our society. We do have young people, we do have workers, we do have women, and we do have people with disabilities and also the minority people in our community. All those dynamics have to be kept in mind, but on one condition, that those people, irrespective of where they are coming from, must be capable of leading Namibia to the heights in terms of understanding the changing dynamics of the global village,” he said.
