Known as NNN, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first female president of Namibia.

At the age of 72, she garnered more than 57% of the votes, while her closest rival, Panduleni Itula, obtained 26%, as reported by the electoral commission.

This achievement marks only one chapter in an incredible life—Nandi-Ndaitwah has fought against colonial forces, sought asylum, and risen to prominence in Namibian politics.

However, Itula has challenged her victory, claiming the election was “deeply flawed” due to logistical challenges and the three-day polling extension in certain areas.

His party, the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC), has declared plans to legally contest the election results.

Since her youth, Nandi-Ndaitwah has been a loyal member of the ruling Swapo party, pledging to lead Namibia’s economic rejuvenation.

Born in 1952 in Onamutai, a village in the north, she is the ninth of thirteen siblings, with her father serving as an Anglican minister.

During her childhood, Namibia was known as South West Africa and was under South African rule.

Nandi-Ndaitwah got involved with Swapo, a movement aimed at liberating the nation from South Africa’s oppressive practices, at the young age of 14.

A passionate activist, she rose to the leadership of Swapo’s Youth League.

Though this role was instrumental in her political trajectory, her primary focus was on the liberation of South West Africa.

“Politics emerged from the circumstances. I could have ended up as a scientist instead,” she expressed in an interview earlier this year.

While she was still a high school student, Nandi-Ndaitwah was arrested and detained during a crackdown on Swapo activists.

Facing persecution, she made the decision to leave the country and joined fellow Swapo members in exile.

She continued her organizational work with the movement while in Zambia and Tanzania before moving to the UK to study International Relations.

In 1988—14 years after her departure—South Africa agreed to Namibia’s independence.

Afterward, Nandi-Ndaitwah returned home and became part of the new Swapo-led government following independence.

Over the years, she has served in various capacities, including as a minister for foreign affairs, tourism, child welfare, and information.

She has earned recognition as a staunch advocate for women’s rights, with one of her significant accomplishments being the passage of the Combating of Domestic Violence Act through the National Assembly in 2002.

According to reports from Namibian media, Nandi-Ndaitwah confronted her male colleagues for mocking the proposed legislation, firmly reminding them that the Swapo constitution prohibits sexism.

Despite Namibia’s traditionally male-dominated political atmosphere, she continued to rise through the ranks, and in February this year, she was appointed as vice-president.

She succeeded Nangolo Mbumba, who held the position after the death of then-President Hage Geingob.

On a personal level, Nandi-Ndaitwah is married to Epaphras Denga Ndaitwah, the former chief of Namibia’s defense forces, and they have three sons together.

Throughout her career, Nandi-Ndaitwah has embodied a pragmatic and hands-on leadership style.

She has remarked, “I am an implementer, not a storyteller.”