Staff Reporter
PRESIDENT Nangolo Mbumba recently called out SWAPO critics, emphasising that “those who said that SWAPO did nothing are not telling the truth.”
“I have said that SWAPO is a party with a track record in governance. Our achievements speak for themselves. I encourage all of you to read the SWAPO Party Manifesto to acquaint yourselves with the many achievements of the SWAPO Party over the last 34 years of being in office,” he said.
The president made these remarks at the SWAPO Party Star Rally that took place in Swakopmund over the past weekend, where he highlighted several of SWAPO’s key achievements since 1990.
“No other party can compare to SWAPO’s track record in governance. We have maintained peace, stability and security for 34 years. We have ensured smooth leadership transitions in both the Party and Government – no civil wars or political assassinations in Namibia. We have held regular free and fair democratic elections supported by the rule of law, the freest press in Africa and other democratic institutions,” President Mbumba said.
According to him, SWAPO has also ensured a sound macroeconomic, monetary, and fiscal regime for 34 years.
“We reduced the percentage of those living below the poverty line from close to 70% in 1990 to below 17% by 2023. We have grown our economy in Gross Domestic Product size from N$7.2 billion in 1990 to N$227.8 billion by 2023. We increased the number of people in formal employment from over 180,000 in 1990 to over 725,000 by 2024,” the president added.
He went on to highlight the government’s commitment to education, with more than 20% of the national budget allocated to the sector each year. He revealed that primary school enrolment had risen from 60% in 1990 to over 98% by 2023, and that the University of Namibia (UNAM) now has campuses in Windhoek, Rundu, Ongwediva, and the Zambezi Region.
“The Polytechnic of Namibia, which is now called NUST, is a full university. We built new schools and classrooms nationwide and established seven vocational training centres. Namibia attained the targets for universal access to primary education, literacy rates, and gender parity in terms of enrolment at all school levels. Namibia’s tertiary education gross enrolment rate (GER) of 16.2% remains almost double the Sub-Saharan Africa standard of 8.2%,” he said.
The president also highlighted the government’s considerable investment in healthcare, which has seen the number of health facilities grow from 272 in 1990 to 530 in 2023.
“Namibia is the first country in Africa and the first high-burden country in the world to achieve 99% HIV-free births. Namibia has produced over 560 medical doctors from UNAM School of Medicine since its establishment in 2009,” President Mbumba said.
With regards to infrastructure, he pointed out that Namibia has the highest road quality infrastructure in Africa, and the country has doubled the capacity of the Port of Walvis Bay. Besides this, he said, Namibia’s energy production capacity has increased from 384 megawatts (MW) in 1990 to 564MW in 2024.
“We have increased mobile network coverage in the country from 0 in 1990 to over 94% in 2023. Namibia is second in Africa in providing potable water, significantly increasing access to potable water from 43% at Independence to 98% in urban areas, and 87% in rural areas by 2024,” the president added.
President Mbumba also underscored that the government spends approximately N$8 billion annually on social protection for vulnerable groups, including orphans and people with disabilities.
“These are some of the key achievements of the SWAPO Party in office. And if you vote us into office again, as we are asking you today, we will achieve even more and deliver even more as we have said in our Election Manifesto,” President Mbumba said.
