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Namibia elects Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah as first woman president

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Namibia elected its first woman president with Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah winning last week’s presidential elections disputed by technical and logistical issues in the country.

 

The 72-year-old, the current vice-president of the country, won with 57 per cent of the vote, extending the ruling South West Africa People’s Organisation (Swapo) party’s grip on power since independence from South Africa in 1990.

“The Namibian nation has voted for peace and stability,” Ms Nandi-Ndaitwah said after the final results were announced late on Tuesday.

Her victory defied predictions that she might be forced into a run-off after opposition parties rejected the results after polling had to be extended for three days in some parts of the country following technical and logistical problems.

Her closest rival Panduleni Itula, who got 26 per cent of the votes, had alleged electoral malpractice.

The polling was scheduled to conclude last Wednesday but had to be extended till Saturday in some parts after polling booths suffered shortages of ballot papers and other issues.

The opposition parties said the extension was illegal and boycotted the results announcement on Tuesday, saying that they will challenge the results in court.

Ms Nandi-Ndaitwah is known as a dedicated Swapo loyalist who joined the party at the age of 14 and was part of an underground independence movement against South African rule in Namibia in the 1970s which was responsible for the implementation of apartheid.

Her leadership in Swapo’s Youth League laid the foundation for her political rise, eventually earning her ministerial positions in foreign affairs, tourism, child welfare, and information.

She was promoted to vice president in February after president Hage Geingob died while in office and will become the fifth president of Namibia after independence.

Namibia Election (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)
© (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

 

Her victory as the first female president of Namibia adds her to the exclusive club with Tanzania’s president Samia Suluhu Hassan. She, however, took office through constitutional succession and not a popular vote.

“Swapo Wins. Netumbo Wins. Namibia Wins. Now Hard Work,” the ruling party posted on its official account on social media site X.

Mr Itula, of the Independent Patriots for Change opposition party, won the second-largest number of seats in parliament behind Swapo.

The Independent Patriots for Change have led the criticism of the vote and pledged to lodge a challenge in court, calling the three-day extension for voting unconstitutional.

Swapo maintained a grip on power in Namibian politics for nearly three decades. However, its popularity came under question in the 2019 election when it lost its two-thirds majority, reducing its vote share to 56 per cent from 87 per cent.

It faced challenges of growing unemployment, allegations of corruption on high ranking officials of Swapo and high levels of inequality.

This year in May, South Africa’s African National Congress lost its majority in parliament for the first time since the end of apartheid. The Botswana Democratic Party was also booted out of power after ruling since independence from Britain in 1966.

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Politics

Putin Hails Trump On Inauguration As US President For Second Time, Says Russia Willing To End War

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Russia President Vladimir Putin has congratulated Donald Trump as he is being inaugurated as the 47th President of the United States.

Putin on Monday, 20th of January 2025 revealed he was open to dialogue with the new U.S. administration on Ukraine and nuclear arms. He also indicated that Moscow was ready to discuss nuclear arms control and wider security issues.

In a video broadcast, Putin noted that he was interested in a long-lasting peace in Ukraine rather than a short-term ceasefire with the country.

He made the comments during the Russia’s Security Council meeting that was shown on state TV. According to him, “We see the statements by the newly elected president of the United States and members of his team about the desire to restore direct contacts with Russia,” said Putin.

“We also hear his statement about the need to do everything possible to prevent World War Three. We of course welcome this attitude and congratulate the elected president of the United States of America on taking office. “As for the resolution of the situation (in Ukraine) itself, I would like to emphasise that the goal should not be a brief ceasefire, not some kind of period of respite that would allow a regrouping and rearmament of forces, but a long-term peace based on respect for the legitimate interests of all people and all peoples who live in the region.”

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Court remands suspect over alleged assassination attempt on Lokpobiri

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Yenagoa—A Magistrate’s Court sitting in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, has ordered the remand of a 35-year-old man, Susaine Morgan, over an alleged assassination attempt on the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri on new year day.

The suspect is also facing charges of unlawful possession of two assault rifles (AK-47).
He was reportedly apprehended at the minister’s residence in Ekeremor town, Ekeremor Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

The remand warrant, issued by the state Commissioner of Police, Francis Idu, and filed by Police Prosecutor, Stella Jerry-Friday, was approved to allow the suspect’s detention for 30 days at Okaka prison.

This is to enable the investigating team of the police to track and arrest six others now at large.
The charge sheet read: “The defendant was arrested on January 1, 2025, at Senator Lokpobiri’s residence for conspiring with others to commit armed robbery, attempted kidnapping, and for being in possession of two AK-47 rifles.”

The police prosecutor explained that the request for suspect remand was necessary due to the limited power of the police to detain the suspect without a court order.

“The suspect’s detention will prevent interference with the ongoing investigation, especially as six other suspects remain at large,” a police source said.

According to security report, seven of the suspects gained access into the residence of the minister by mingling with the crowd of visitors who came to pay homage.

But information got to the military personnel stationed at the residence of the presence of armed persons among the visitors.

“Due to the large crowd, the soldiers could not open fire but ordered everyone to lie down. It was only the arrested suspect, who was with the bag conveying the weapon, that got arrested. Others mingled with the crowd and escaped,” the source stated.

The other suspects reportedly fired shots as they fled the community, attacked a filling station and carted away N400,000.

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42 Executive Orders By Trump On the First Day

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Here is the list of all 42 Executive Orders, Memoranda, and Proclamations Signed by President Donald Trump

1.Declaring a National Emergency at the Southern Border

2.Designating Mexican Drug Cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations

3.Reinstating the ‘Remain in Mexico’ Policy
4.Ending Birthright Citizenship for Children of Illegal Immigrants

5.Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism

6.Eliminating Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Programs in Federal Agencies

7.Withdrawing from the Paris Climate Agreement

8.Declaring a National Energy Emergency

9.Reversing Electric Vehicle Mandates

10.Implementing ‘Schedule F’ for Federal Employees

11.Relocating U.S. Space Command Headquarters to Alabama

12.Pardoning Individuals Convicted in Relation to January 6 Events

13.Halting Federal Funding for Abortion Services

14.Suspending Security Clearances for Officials Linked to Hunter Biden Scandal

15.Establishing a Federal Bitcoin Reserve

16.Releasing Classified Documents on JFK, RFK, and MLK Assassinations

17.Reversing AI Regulation Policies

18.Imposing Tariffs on Imports from China, Mexico, and Canada

19.Reinstating the Ban on Transgender Military Service

20.Prohibiting Transgender Women from Participating in Women’s Sports

21.Halting Government Offshore Wind Leases

22.Renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America

23.Reverting Mount Denali to Mount McKinley

24.Freezing Federal Workforce Hiring

25.Easing Regulations on Oil and Gas Production

26.Pausing Congress’ TikTok Ban to Seek a U.S. Buyer

27.Reversing Biden-Era Immigration Policies

28.Pulling Out of the World Health
organisations

29.Eliminating Federal Funding for DEI Programs

30.Establishing the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)

31.Reinstating the ‘Muslim Ban

32.Ending Birthright Citizenship

33.Reforming the Criminal Justice System

34.Banning Critical Race Theory in Federal Agencies

35.Demanding Increased NATO Contributions

36.Confronting China on Trade Practices

37.Ending the War in Ukraine

38.Supporting Law Enforcement

39.Promoting School Choice

40.Restricting Refugee Admissions

41.Increasing Federal Focus on Fentanyl Trafficking

42.Launching a National Infrastructure Plan.

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