Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah
Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Nandi-Ndaitwah in 2022 | |
| 3rd Vice President of Namibia | |
| Assumed office 4 February 2024 | |
| President | Nangolo Mbumba |
| Preceded by | Nangolo Mbumba |
| Deputy-Prime Minister of Namibia | |
| In office 21 March 2015 – 4 February 2024 | |
| Prime Minister | Saara Kuugongelwa |
| Preceded by | Marco Hausiku |
| Succeeded by | John Mutorwa |
| Minister of International Relations and Cooperation | |
| Assumed office 4 December 2012 | |
| Prime Minister |
|
| Preceded by | Utoni Nujoma |
| Minister of Environment and Tourism | |
| In office 21 March 2010 – 4 December 2012 | |
| Prime Minister | Nahas Angula |
| Preceded by | Willem Konjore |
| Succeeded by | Uahekua Herunga |
| Minister of Information and Broadcasting | |
| In office 2005–2010 | |
| Prime Minister | Nahas Angula |
| Preceded by | Nangolo Mbumba |
| Succeeded by | Joel Kaapanda |
| Minister of Women Affairs and Child Welfare | |
| In office 2000–2005 | |
| Prime Minister | Hage Geingob |
| Preceded by | position established |
| Succeeded by | Marlene Mungunda |
| Director General of Women Affairs | |
| In office 1996–2000 | |
| Prime Minister | Hage Geingob |
| Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs | |
| In office 21 March 1990 – 21 March 1996 | |
| Prime Minister | Hage Geingob |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Netumbo Nandi 29 October 1952 Onamutai, South West Africa (now Namibia) |
| Nationality | Namibian |
| Political party | SWAPO |
| Spouse | Epaphras Denga Ndaitwah |
| Alma mater | Keele University Glasgow Caledonian University |
| Occupation | Politician |
Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah (born 29 October 1952) is a Namibian politician who is Namibia's third and current vice president since February 2024.[1] She previously served as the deputy prime minister of Namibia from 2015 to 2024.[2] Currently the SWAPO vice president, and has retained her position and is set to become the party's first female presidential candidate in November 2024.[3] She has also served as Namibia's Minister of International Relations and Cooperation since December 2012. Furthermore,from March 2010 to December 2012, she was Minister of Environment and Tourism. Nandi-Ndaitwah is a member of SWAPO, Namibia's ruling party, and a long-time member of the National Assembly. In 2017, Nandi-Ndaitwah was elected vice-president of the Swapo Party at the party's 6th Congress. She is the first woman to serve in that position.
Early life and education
[edit]Ndemupelila Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah was born on 29 October 1952 to Justina Nekoto Shaduka-Nandi and Petrus Nandi at Onamutai in northern Namibia.[4] Ndaitwah was educated at St. Mary's Mission in Odibo.[5] Nandi-Ndaitwah took a different path, joining Swapo’s diplomatic efforts.[6]
Nandi-Ndaitwah went into exile in 1974 and joined SWAPO members in Zambia. She worked at the SWAPO headquarters in Lusaka, Zambia from 1974 to 1975 and attended a course at the Lenin Higher Komsomol School in the Soviet Union from 1975 to 1976. She graduated with a diploma in the work and practice of the communist youth movement. In 1987 she obtained a post-graduate diploma in public administration and management from the Glasgow College of Technology, UK, and in 1988 a further post-graduate diploma, in international relations, from Keele University, UK. In 1989 Nandi-Ndaitwah obtained a master's degree in diplomatic studies, also from Keele University.[7]
Political career
[edit]Nandi-Ndaitwah became the SWAPO deputy representative in Zambia from 1976 until 1978 and the chief representative in Zambia from 1978 to 1980. From 1980 until 1986, she was the SWAPO chief representative in East Africa, based at Dar es Salaam. She was a member of the SWAPO central committee from 1976 to 1986 and the Namibian National Women's Organisation (NANAWO) president from 1991 to 1994.[7]
She has been a member of the National Assembly of Namibia since 1990. She was deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation from 1990 to 1996 and first gained ministerial status in 1996 as director-general of Women's Affairs in the Office of the President, where she served until 2000. In 2000 she was promoted to minister and given the Women Affairs and Child Welfare portfolio.[8]
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From 2005 to 2010, she was the Minister of Information and Broadcasting in Namibia's cabinet. She subsequently served as Minister of Environment and Tourism until a major cabinet reshuffle in December 2012, in which she was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs,[9] a portfolio since renamed to International Relations and Cooperation.
Under President Hage Geingob, Nandi-Ndaitwah was appointed as Deputy-Prime Minister of Namibia in March 2015, while serving in parallel as Minister of International Relations and Cooperation.[10] Nandi-Ndaitwah sits both on SWAPO's central committee and the politburo. She is also the party's secretary for information and mobilisation and as such, is one of SWAPO's main spokespeople.[7]
In March 2023, President Hage Geingob named Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah as the sole candidate for the ruling Swapo party in the 2024 elections.[11] In addition, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah is a Swapo veteran who is favourite to become Namibia’s first female president after the 2024 Namibian general election.
Personal life
[edit]Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah is married to Epaphras Denga Ndaitwah, former Chief of the Namibian Defence Force.[7]
Awards
[edit]Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah was awarded the 'thought leadership' at the Namibia Sustainable Development Awards. [12]
Interests
[edit]Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwa's interests lie in children's community work and reading.[2]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Staff, "Nangolo Mbumba sworn in as Namibia's fourth President", The Star Kenya, retrieved 4 February 2024
- ^ a b "Nandi-Ndaitwah Netumbo". Namibian Parliament. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
- ^ "Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah | Profile | Africa Confidential". www.africa-confidential.com. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
- ^ Namibian, The. "Nandi-Ndaitwah's moment of truth". The Namibian. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
- ^ Dierks, Klaus. "Biographies of Namibian Personalities, N". klausdierks.com. Retrieved 11 June 2022.
- ^ Mongudhi, Tileni (21 April 2023). "Nandi-Ndaitwah's moment of truth". The Namibian. Retrieved 5 October 2024.
- ^ a b c d Hopwood, Graham. "Who's Who, entry for Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah". Namibia Institute for Democracy. Archived from the original on 11 June 2011. Retrieved 8 January 2014.
- ^ "Nandi-Ndaitwah Netumbo". Parliament of Namibia. Retrieved 11 June 2022.
- ^ Shipanga, Selma; Immanuel, Shinovene (5 December 2012). "Transition team picked". The Namibian. Archived from the original on 28 December 2013. Retrieved 27 December 2013.
- ^ "Geingob announces Cabinet". The Namibian. 20 March 2015.
- ^ "Namibia: President Geingob Names Nandi-Ndaitwah Woman Successor". The Heritage Times. 13 March 2023.
- ^ Mukokobi, Pricilla (21 June 2024). "Namibia: VP Recognised for Environmental Contribution". New Era. Retrieved 3 September 2024.
- 1952 births
- Living people
- Members of the National Assembly (Namibia)
- People from Oshana
- SWAPO politicians
- Alumni of Keele University
- Vice presidents of Namibia
- 20th-century Namibian women politicians
- 20th-century Namibian politicians
- 21st-century Namibian women politicians
- 21st-century Namibian politicians
- Deputy prime ministers of Namibia
- Foreign ministers of Namibia
- Female foreign ministers
- Women government ministers of Namibia
- Environment and tourism ministers of Namibia
- Information ministers of Namibia
- Gender equality and social welfare ministers of Namibia
- Women vice presidents in Africa
- Women members of the National Assembly (Namibia)
- Namibian expatriates in Tanzania
- Candidates for President of Namibia