Ester Mbathera
Political analysts have questioned whether the appointment of 22-year-old university student Fenny Tutjavi to Swapo’s parliamentary list is a genuine attempt at youth empowerment or merely political tokenism.
Tutjavi, who hails from the Erongo Region, was one of the youngest candidates chosen by Swapo vice president Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah for the party’s parliamentary list.
Veteran political analyst Joseph Diescho warned that while the inclusion of young people in leadership roles is commendable, the principles of democratic leadership must not be overlooked.
“We tend to get carried away with ethnic and youth gesturing that is in essence undemocratic in the medium and long term. A third-year student plucked out of class and wheelbarrowed into legislative chambers is not a democratic exercise or youth empowerment. Sending children to make laws for the nation is something else,” he said.
Diescho recommended allowing young people to prepare for future leadership roles instead of pushing them into positions of authority before they are ready.
“Let students and young people prepare to lead tomorrow and leave lawmaking to politicians who understand the needs of society, ready to change things and govern our national resources better,” he said.
Political analyst and academic Ndumba Kamwanyah shared similar concerns.
According to him, the appointment of Tutjavi raises questions about the balance between youth representation, meritocracy, and experience.
“The move could be seen as an attempt to appear progressive and appease the youth vote by including a young person in national politics. However, the danger lies in appointing someone too young without sufficient experience or political maturity. In this case, Tutjavi is still a third-year university student, which raises concerns about whether her appointment is genuinely about youth empowerment or simply symbolic, designed to appeal to the younger demographic without providing them with substantial political agency,” he said.
Kamwanyah added that placing someone as young and inexperienced as Tutjavi in a political role could be problematic.
He said her appointment raises the question of whether her selection is based on actual qualifications or just her youth.
“Tutjavi’s appointment might be perceived as bypassing older, more experienced individuals, especially within Swapo’s ranks, who may have been working for years to build their credentials. It risks undermining the importance of experience and political competency in favour of political optics,” he said.
Both Diescho and Kamwanyah acknowledged that involving youth in politics is a positive step but stressed the importance of ensuring that such moves are accompanied by proper support and development strategies.
Kamwanyah added that with the right mentorship and preparation, young leaders like Tutjavi could contribute meaningfully to Namibia’s future, but he warned against bypassing older, more experienced candidates in the name of progress.
“Removing a 22-year-old from the classroom and thrusting her into the political arena could be a disservice to both the individual and the country. Without proper political training, mentoring, or experience in handling complex governance issues, there is a real risk of her being overwhelmed or unable to make meaningful contributions. It could also expose her to manipulation or tokenism, where her presence is used more for appearances than for actual decision-making,” said Kamwanyah.
According to Kamwanyah, this move could signal a shift in recognising the potential of young people in leadership.
“If done with genuine intent and proper support, it could open doors for more young leaders to contribute fresh ideas and energy to Namibian politics. However, it must be paired with a broader strategy that includes mentorship, skills development, and ensuring that young leaders like Tutjavi are not isolated or tokenised but genuinely integrated into the political process,” he said.
Kamwanyah warned that while this appointment may appear as a win for youth representation, it risks becoming an exercise in appearance rather than substance if issues like experience, meritocracy, and genuine empowerment are not addressed.
