Namibia president-elect Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah (R) visited Uganda in January

Will Ugandans reap big after Nandi-Ndaitwah’s presidential win in Namibia?

by · The Observer

Last week’s election of Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah as Namibia’s new president may have huge implications for Ugandan businesspeople and entrepreneurs, writes MUHAMMAD KAKEMBO.

They say luck favours the prepared. Sometime back in January 2024, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah visited Uganda to attend the 19th Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) summit at Munyonyo Convention Centre in Kampala.

At the time Nandi-Ndaitwah attended the NAM summit, she was serving as Namibia’s deputy prime minister and minister for international relations and cooperation. However, her attendance did not gain much attention and in many ways, she was just an ordinary delegate.

But for Uganda’s shrewd businessmen such as Geoffrey Kirumira, Namibia’s honorary consul to Uganda, and Hamis Kiggundu, her visit was an opportunity to showcase their business acumen to lay a solid platform for expansion of their business interests in Namibia on top of improving the trade relations between the two countries.

Nandi-Ndaitwah had already been tipped as a potential successor to outgoing president Nangolo Mbumba; so, the Ugandan business lobbyists provided her with all the privileges of a visiting head of state. Nandi-Ndaitwah secured 57 per cent of the vote to beat nearest rival Panduleni Itula who polled 26 per cent.

Her election as the country’s first woman president marked a significant milestone for Namibia and the African continent as a whole, given her strong advocacy for a united Africa, particularly in the realms of trade and business. In the four days she was in the country, Nandi-Ndaitwah toured Kiggundu’s Hamz stadium at Nakivubo.

Impressed by the facility, she invited Kiggundu to construct a similar stadium in Namibia. She praised his efforts in developing the stadium using exclusively African resources, a move she said showcases that Africans have the capability to develop their continent.

She later toured several business entities around Kampala as top businessmen positioned themselves to tap into her reign when she takes over as Namibia’s president. On several occasions during her visit, she praised the warm bilateral relations and diplomatic ties between Namibia and Uganda, and expressed a keen interest in strengthening commercial diplomacy between the two countries.

Nandi-Ndaitwah noted that she has known Kirumira for more than a decade and tasked him to get in touch with the businessmen in both Uganda and Namibia to discuss ways of exploring business opportunities. Reciprocatively, in October, 2024, a delegation of Ugandan businesspeople, led by Kirumira, traveled to Namibia to explore collaborative opportunities with their Namibian counterparts.

Namibia President-elect Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah (C) with Hamis Kiggundu (L) and Geoffrey Kirumira

Nandi-Ndaitwah received the delegation and offered the Ugandan contingent the chance to tap into Namibia’s vast resources and opportunities, particularly in agriculture and tourism. Reached out for a comment, Kirumira praised the foresightedness of Nandi-Ndaitwah to link the Ugandan and Namibian business communities.

“First of all, I am very proud that she won the election because she is a revolutionary and believes in the unity of Africa. For the time I have known her, I have found that she has the virtue of planning prudently for the future and wishes the best for African entrepreneurs. We really look forward to boosting the bilateral ties between the two countries,” he said.

On his part, Kiggundu said he is already looking forward to expanding his business empire in Namibia.

“She has already shown faith in me and there is no better way to show back my faith than investing in Namibia, especially in the agricultural sector which I am very passionate about,” he said.

“She has always emphasized the importance of maintaining an open and positive mindset towards new ideas. When I toured Namibia, I assured them that I would return to inspire the youth, promote innovation and entrepreneurship across various sectors. I cannot wait to start.”

According to Kirumira, with Nandi-Ndaitwah now confirmed as Namibia’s next president, her leadership is expected to open new doors for Ugandan businesspeople.

“Her administration’s focus on economic diplomacy and her proactive steps to engage with Ugandan entrepreneurs signal a promising future for bilateral trade relations. Ugandan businessmen, particularly those like Kiggundu who have already established connections, are well- positioned to capitalize on the emerging opportunities in Namibia,” he said.

“Our ventures align perfectly with Namibia’s strategic sectors. Namibia offers abundant opportunities in agriculture, minerals, fishing and tourism—areas where Ugandan businessmen can significantly contribute.”

NAMIBIA’S FIRST FEMALE PRESIDENT

Nicknamed NNN, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has made history by being elected as Namibia’s first female president. The 72-year-old won more than 57% of the vote, with her closest rival, Panduleni Itula, getting 26%, according to the electoral commission.

Nandi-Ndaitwah has been a loyal member of the governing party, Swapo, since she was a teenager and pledges to lead Namibia’s economic transformation. Nandi-Ndaitwah was born in 1952, in the northern village of Onamutai. She was the ninth of 13 children and her father was an Anglican clergyman.

Nandi-Ndaitwah joined Swapo, then a liberation movement resisting South Africa’s white-minority rule, when she was only 14. A passionate activist, Nandi-Ndaitwah became a leader of Swapo’s Youth League. While still a high school student, Nandi-Ndaitwah was arrested and detained during a crackdown on Swapo activists.

As a result of this persecution, she decided she could not stay in the country and joined several other Swapo members in exile. Nandi-Ndaitwah returned home and subsequently joined the post-independence, Swapo-run government.

In the years since, she has held a variety of posts, including ministerial roles in foreign affairs, tourism, child welfare and information. She succeeds Nangolo Mbumba, who stepped up after the death of then-Presi- dent Hage Geingob.

In her personal life, Nandi-Ndaitwah is married to Epaphras Denga Ndaitwah, the former chief of Namibia’s defence forces. The couple has three sons.

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