By Hassan Osman Kargbo
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, 25 March 2025, opened the first cabinet meeting of her administration, marking a new chapter in Namibia’s political landscape. The meeting comes after her momentous inauguration on 21 March 2025, where she was sworn in as the 5th Head of State of the Republic of Namibia.
Her election followed a victorious campaign, with the SWAPO Party emerging as the dominant force in the 2024 national elections, securing her a mandate to lead the country for the next five years.
In her address to cabinet, President Nandi-Ndaitwah highlighted the monumental task ahead of her administration, underscoring the high expectations placed upon the new government by the Namibian people. “You must at all times be guided by the Cabinet Handbook, which will serve as a critical guide when you carry out your ministerial and national responsibilities,” she emphasized, making it clear that ethics and hard work would define the way her cabinet conducts itself.
President Nandi-Ndaitwah took a moment to express her gratitude to the SWAPO party, acknowledging their support in nominating her as the Presidential candidate. “I thank SWAPO party for having presented me to the nation as their Presidential candidate, and eventually the people of Namibia elected me to the office,” she said, reinforcing the idea that her leadership is built on a firm foundation of party unity and popular support.
The President’s address was particularly focused on the government’s mission to meet the aspirations of Namibians, particularly the youth, women, and vulnerable groups. “Our people want improvement in their living standards,” she noted, addressing her cabinet’s primary goal of addressing socio-economic issues like unemployment, access to housing, and the growth of small and medium enterprises.
One of the significant highlights of the speech was President Nandi-Ndaitwah’s commitment to fully implementing the SWAPO party’s Election Manifesto. “The SWAPO Party Election Manifesto is the pledge we made to the people of Namibia,” she declared. The manifesto, she stressed, is not just a document of promises but a binding contract between the government and the citizens. She urged all Cabinet members to familiarize themselves with its contents and ensure that every decision and project they undertake aligns with the commitments outlined within it.
A bold statement made by the President was her stance on governance: “There will be no business as usual,” she said, referring to her administration’s urgency in executing the people’s mandate, an explicit directive to her cabinet to avoid complacency and delay in policy implementation.
She also made it clear that there would be no room for procrastination, stressing that the government’s mandate is to immediately address the pressing needs of the people.
Addressing potential obstacles, President Nandi-Ndaitwah acknowledged that challenges are inevitable in governance, but urged her cabinet to confront them with clarity, integrity, and decisiveness. “We must act with focus to deliver tangible and lasting change in the socio-economic status of our people,” she asserted.
Moreover, the President’s remarks also focused on improving Namibia’s public services, emphasizing the need for cabinet members to ensure that public servants adhere to high ethical standards and provide timely, effective services to citizens. A key priority, she said, would be fighting corruption at all levels of government, with a clear directive to all public officials to uphold the principles of transparency and accountability.
The President’s address concluded with a call for unity and collaboration within cabinet. “At all times, we must be guided by the principle of ‘One Heart and One Mind,’” she said, urging cabinet members to work cohesively, consult one another, and align their decisions with the needs and aspirations of the Namibian people.
With such remarks, President Nandi-Ndaitwah officially opened the work of the 8th Administration. Her Cabinet will meet every Tuesday at 09:00, the beginning of a structured approach to governance aimed at tackling Namibia’s challenges head-on.
