Tanzanian leader appointed to head SADC election observation mission in Namibia

Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan has appointed Anne Semamba Makinda, the former Speaker of the Tanzanian Parliament, to lead the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Election Observation Mission (EOM) for Namibia’s upcoming general elections.

This appointment aligns with SADC’s revised 2021 principles and guidelines, which mandate the organization to observe general elections in all its 16 member states.

The general elections in Namibia, including the presidential and parliamentary races, are scheduled for November 27, 2024.

According to a statement from the SADC Secretariat, which is based in Gaborone, the election observers have already started arriving in Namibia, with a training session set to take place from November 15 to 18 in the capital, Windhoek.

The mission will oversee the entire electoral process—pre-election activities, election day proceedings, and post-election evaluations—to ensure that Namibia’s elections adhere to SADC’s standards for free, fair, transparent, and peaceful elections.

Namibia’s political landscape is currently undergoing a period of transition following the passing of former President Hage Geingob in February 2024.

Vice President Nangolo Mbumba, who assumed office after Geingob’s death, has announced that he will not seek re-election.

The ruling South West Africa People’s Organization (SWAPO), which has governed Namibia since the country’s independence in 1990, is set to field Vice President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah as its presidential candidate.

If successful, Nandi-Ndaitwah could become Namibia’s first female president.

However, she faces a formidable challenge from former SWAPO member Panduleni Itula, who has become an independent candidate.

Itula, who previously ran against Geingob in the 2019 elections, is hoping for a stronger showing this time.

In 2019, Itula secured over 30% of the vote, and after founding the Patriots for Change party in 2020, he aims to build on that success.

As the election date draws near, all eyes will be on the SADC’s role in ensuring the election is conducted according to democratic principles, with the Tanzanian-led observer mission playing a key role in maintaining the integrity of the process.