Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila has been elected as the speaker of Namibia’s National Assembly for five years. Her election followed the swearing-in of new members, succeeding in a contest against Bernadus Swartbooi. Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, a longstanding member of the Assembly and former Prime Minister, makes history as the first woman to lead the parliament.
Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila has been elected as the speaker of the National Assembly for a tenure of five years. Her election followed the swearing-in of new Assembly members on Thursday. While Affirmative Repositioning leader Job Amupanda nominated Swapo parliamentarian Elijah Ngurare for the position, he declined the nomination. Furthermore, Imms Nashinge from the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) nominated Bernadus Swartbooi from the Landless People’s Movement (LPM), resulting in a competition between Swartbooi and Kuugongelwa-Amadhila for the speaker’s role.
Kuugongelwa-Amadhila has been an active member of the National Assembly since 1995. Previously, she held the position of Minister of Finance from 2003 to 2015 and has served as Namibia’s Prime Minister since 21 March 2015. She was the first woman to occupy the prime ministerial position, and her recent election as speaker marks her as the first woman to lead Namibia’s parliament, despite some perceptions of it as a demotion.
In conclusion, Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila’s election as speaker of the National Assembly signifies a historic milestone as she becomes the first woman to hold this position. Her extensive political experience, including her tenure as Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, positions her as a significant figure in Namibian politics. Her leadership continues to pave the way for women’s representation in governance.
Original Source: www.namibian.com.na
