SWAPO

Template:Short description Template:EngvarB Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox political party Template:Sidebar with collapsible lists The South West Africa People's Organisation (SWAPO Template:IPAc-en; Template:Langx, SWAVO; Template:Langx, SWAVO), officially known as the SWAPO Party of Namibia, is a political party and former independence movement in Namibia (formerly South West Africa). Founded in 1960, it has been the governing party in Namibia since the country achieved independence in 1990. The party continues to be dominated in number and influence by the Ovambo ethnic group.

SWAPO held a two-thirds majority in parliament from 1994 to 2019. In the general election held in November 2019, the party won 65.5% of the popular vote and 63 out of the 104 seats in the National Assembly. It also holds 28 out of the 42 seats in the National Council. From November 2017 until his death in February 2024, Namibian President Hage Geingob remained the president of SWAPO after being elected to the position at the party's electoral congress.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

HistoryEdit

Background and foundationEdit

Template:See also German South West Africa was established in 1884. After World War I, the League of Nations gave South West Africa, formerly a German colony, to the United Kingdom as a mandate under the administration of South Africa.<ref name="Vantaa">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> When the National Party won the 1948 election in South Africa and subsequently introduced apartheid legislation,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> these laws were also applied to South West Africa which was considered the de facto fifth province of South Africa.<ref name="EISA">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

SWAPO was founded on 19 April 1960 as the successor of the Ovamboland People's Organization. Leaders renamed the party to show that it represented all Namibians. But, the organisation had its base among the Ovambo people of northern Namibia, who constituted nearly half the total population.<ref name="Kae"/>

Struggle for independenceEdit

Template:See also During 1962, SWAPO had emerged as the dominant nationalist organisation for the Namibian people. It co-opted other groups such as the South West Africa National Union (SWANU), and later in 1976 the Namibia African People's Democratic Organisation.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> SWAPO used guerrilla tactics to fight the South African Defence Force. On 26 August 1966, the first major clash of the conflict took place, when a unit of the South African Police, supported by the South African Air Force, exchanged fire with SWAPO forces. This date is generally regarded as the start of what became known in South Africa as the Border War.Template:Cn

One important factor in the fight for independence was the 1971-72 Namibian contract workers strike, which fought for the elimination of the contract labor system and independence from South Africa. An underlying goal was the promotion of independence under SWAPO leadership.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=":0">Template:Cite journal</ref>

In 1973, the United Nations General Assembly recognised SWAPO as the 'sole legitimate representative' of Namibia's people.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The Norwegian government began giving aid directly to SWAPO in 1974.<ref name="norway">Template:Cite book</ref>

The country of Angola gained its independence on 11 November 1975 following its war for independence. The leftist Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), supported by Cuba and the Soviet Union, came to power. In March 1976, the MPLA offered SWAPO bases in Angola for launching attacks against the South African military.Template:Cn

Independent NamibiaEdit

When Namibia gained its independence in 1990, SWAPO became the dominant political party. Though the organisation rejected the term South West Africa and preferred to use Namibia, the organisation's original name—derived from the territory's old name—was too deeply rooted in the independence movement to be changed. However, the original full name is no longer used; only the acronym remains.<ref name="Kae">Template:Cite news</ref> SWAPO, and with it much of Namibia's government and administration, continues to be dominated by the Ovambo ethnic group, despite "considerable efforts to counter [that] perception".<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

SWAPO president Sam Nujoma was declared Namibia's first President after SWAPO won the inaugural election in 1989. A decade later, Nujoma had the constitution changed so he could run for a third term in 1999, as it limits the presidency to two terms.Template:Cn

In 2004, the SWAPO presidential candidate was Hifikepunye Pohamba, described as Nujoma's hand-picked successor.<ref name="chosen">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="Elections in Namibia">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 2014, the SWAPO presidential candidate was Hage Geingob, who was the vice-president of SWAPO. In 2019 presidential election, president Geingob won his second five-year term as Namibian president.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

File:SWAPO campaign vehicle.jpg

SWAPO election campaign vehicle

IdeologyEdit

SWAPO was founded with the aim of attaining the independence of Namibia and therefore is part of the African nationalist movement. Pre-independence it had a socialist,<ref name="Tötemeyer"/> Marxist–Leninist<ref name=Soiri/> ideology, a thinking that was not immediately abandoned when independence was achieved in 1990 and SWAPO became the ruling party.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Officially, however, it adopted a social democratic ideology, until the electoral congress in 2017 approved the official change to socialism with a "Namibian character",<ref name=sweeping/> although some Namibians have labeled the change as lacking a "grass-roots" nature.<ref name="nam23">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Various commentators have characterised the politics of SWAPO in different ways. Gerhard Tötemeyer, himself a party member, considers its post-independence politics neoliberal and social democratic.<ref name="Tötemeyer"/> Henny Seibeb, an opposition politician from the Landless People's Movement, describes the current party ideology as liberal nationalism with traces of "dogmatism, authoritarianism, and statism".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

StructureEdit

The party president is the top position of SWAPO; in 2012 this was held by Namibia's former president Pohamba. The vice-president was Namibia's former president Hage Geingob, who was elected to that position in 2007 and reconfirmed at the SWAPO congress in December 2012, until his death on 4 February 2024. The third highest position in SWAPO is the secretary-general, a position held in December 2012 by Nangolo Mbumba. Number four is the deputy secretary-general, Omaheke governor Laura McLeod-Katjirua.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Like many socialist and communist parties, SWAPO is governed by a politburo and a central committee. The party leadership is advised by a youth league, a women's council, and an elders' council.Template:Cn

PolitburoEdit

The politburo of SWAPO is a body that Template:As of consists of 29 members for the period 2022-2027 (including party president, former party president, secretary general, deputy secretary general, members appointed by the party president and members elected by the SWAPO central committee for the period).<ref>MEMBERS OF THE POLITICAL BUREAU 2022 – 2027</ref>

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Central CommitteeEdit

File:SWAPO sticker.jpg

Typical SWAPO sticker on Namibian vehicle

SWAPO's Central Committee consists of:

The president
The vice-president
The secretary-general
The deputy secretary-general
The founding president of SWAPO as a permanent member
13 SWAPO Party regional coordinators
54 members elected at the party congress
10 members appointed by the party president

The Template:As of 100 Central Committee members are:<ref>[1]</ref> Template:Div col

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List of presidentsEdit

Sam Nujoma (1960–2007)
Hifikepunye Pohamba (2007–2015)
Hage Geingob (2015–2024)

Finances and business interestsEdit

Although SWAPO receives finances from government for its operations, the party also holds extensive business interests. Through Kalahari Holdings, it entered into joint ventures with several companies, most prominently the Namibian branch of MultiChoice, a private satellite TV provider, of which it owns 51%. Kalahari Holdings has further joint ventures with Radio Energy, Africa Online, and businesses in the tourism, farming, security services and health insurance sectors. It owns Namib Contract Haulage, Namprint, Kudu Investments and the Ndilimani Cultural Troupe.<ref name=cow>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

Namibia Today was the mouthpiece of the SWAPO,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and Asser Ntinda was its editor. The paper does not appear to have been active since 7 April 2011<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }} Overview with hyperlinks to news articles in weekly of Namibia Today issues from August 7, 2009 - April 7, 2011.</ref> and closed down in 2015.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Human rights abusesEdit

Various groups have claimed that SWAPO committed serious human rights abuses against suspected spies during the independence struggle. Since the early 21st century, they have pressed the government more strongly on this issue. Breaking the Wall of Silence (BWS) is one of the groups founded by people who were detained by SWAPO during the war and abused during interrogations.<ref>"Church council's stance on detainees revives apartheid rhetoric, charges the NSHR", The Namibian, 18 November 2003</ref><ref>"Ex-detainee issue still runs deep", The Namibian, 4 October 2005</ref> In 2004, BWS alleged that "In exile, hundreds of SWAPO dependants and members were detained, tortured and killed without trial."<ref name=Kapuuo>Template:Cite journal</ref> SWAPO denies serious infractions and claims anything that did happen was in the name of liberation. Because of a series of successful South African raids, the SWAPO leadership believed that spies existed in the movement. Hundreds of SWAPO cadres were imprisoned, tortured and interrogated.<ref name="leys">Template:Cite book</ref>

MembershipsEdit

SWAPO is a full member of Socialist International.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> It was a member of the Non-Aligned Movement before the independence of Namibia in 1990.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Electoral historyEdit

Presidential electionsEdit

Election	Party candidate	Votes	%	Result
1994	Sam Nujoma	370,452	76.34%	Elected Template:Y
1999	Sam Nujoma	414,096	76.82%	Elected Template:Y
2004	Hifikepunye Pohamba	625,605	76.45%	Elected Template:Y
2009	Hifikepunye Pohamba	611,241	75.25%	Elected Template:Y
2014	Hage Geingob	772,528	86.73%	Elected Template:Y
2019	Hage Geingob	464,703	56.3%	Elected Template:Y
2024	Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah	683,560	58.07%	Elected Template:Y

National Assembly electionsEdit

Election	Party leader	Votes	%	Seats	+/–	Position	Result
1989	Sam Nujoma	384,567	57.33%	Template:Composition bar	New	Template:Increase 1st	Template:Yes2
1994		370,452	76.34%	Template:Composition bar	Template:Increase 12	Template:Steady 1st	Template:Yes2
1999		414,096	76.82%	Template:Composition bar	Template:Increase 2	Template:Steady 1st	Template:Yes2
2004		625,605	76.44%	Template:Composition bar	Template:Steady 0	Template:Steady 1st	Template:Yes2
2009	Hifikepunye Pohamba	611,241	75.25%	Template:Composition bar	Template:Decrease 1	Template:Steady 1st	Template:Yes2
2014	Hifikepunye Pohamba	785,671	80.01%	Template:Composition bar	Template:Increase 23	Template:Steady 1st	Template:Yes2
2019	Hage Geingob	536,861	65.45%	Template:Composition bar	Template:Decrease 14	Template:Steady 1st	Template:Yes2
2024	Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah	583,300	53.38%	Template:Composition bar	Template:Decrease 12	Template:Steady 1st	Template:Yes2

National Council electionsEdit

Election	Seats	+/–	Position	Result
1992	Template:Composition bar	New	Template:Increase 1st	Template:Yes2
1998	Template:Composition bar	Template:Increase 2	Template:Steady 1st	Template:Yes2
2004	Template:Composition bar	Template:Increase 3	Template:Steady 1st	Template:Yes2
2010	Template:Composition bar	Template:Steady	Template:Steady 1st	Template:Yes2
2015	Template:Composition bar	Template:Increase 16	Template:Steady 1st	Template:Yes2
2020	Template:Composition bar	Template:Decrease 12	Template:Steady 1st	Template:Yes2

ReferencesEdit

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External linksEdit

Template:Official website
Example SWAPO Party Youth League web page. {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}

Secondary literatureEdit

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