SWAPO
The South West Africa People’s Organisation (/ˈswɑːpoʊ/, SWAPO; Afrikaans: Suidwes-Afrikaanse Volks Organisasie, SWAVO; German: Südwestafrikanische Volksorganisation, SWAVO), officially known as the SWAPO Party of Namibia is a political party in Namibia. It has been the most powerful party in the country since the country became independent from South Africa in 1990. It was a former independence and populist movement in South West Africa and was one of the main groups fighting in the South African Border War.
South West Africa People’s Organisation | |
|---|---|
| Abbreviation | SWAPO |
| Leader | Hage Geingob |
| Secretary-General | Sophia Shaningwa |
| Vice President | Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah |
| Vice Secretary-General | Nangolo Mbumba |
| Executive Director | Austin Samupwa |
| Founders | Andimba Toivo ya Toivo Sam Nujoma Jacob Kuhangua Louis Nelengani Lucas Nepela |
| Founded | 19 April 1960 |
| Preceded by | Ovamboland People's Organization |
| Headquarters | Erf 2464 Hans-Dietrich Genscher Street Katutura Windhoek Khomas Region |
| Newspaper | Namibia Today (1960-2015) |
| Think tank | SWAPO Think Tank |
| Youth wing | SWAPO Party Youth League |
| Women's wing | SWAPO Women's Council |
| Elder's wing | SWAPO Elder’s Council |
| Paramilitary wing | People's Liberation Army of Namibia (PLAN) (integrated into Namibian Defence Force) |
| Ideology | Since 2017: Socialism with Namibian characteristics[1][2][3] Independence until 2017: Social democracy[4][5] Statism[6] Pre-independence: Socialism[4] Marxism–Leninism[7] |
| Political position | Left-wing |
| International affiliation | Socialist International |
| African affiliation | Former Liberation Movements of Southern Africa |
| Seats in the National Assembly | 63 / 96 |
| Seats in the National Council | 28 / 42 |
| Regional Councillors | 88 / 121 |
| Local Councillors | 277 / 378 |
| Pan-African Parliament | 4 / 5 |
| Party flag | |
 | |
History
changeFoundation
changeSWAPO was started on 19 April 1960. The leaders named the party to show that it represented all Namibians, but the organisation is popular among Ovambo people of northern Namibia, who are nearly half the total population of South West Africa.[8]
South West Africa
changeDuring 1962, SWAPO had became the main independence, anti-colonial organisation for the people in Namibia. SWAPO used guerrilla tactics to fight the colonial South African Defence Force. A major conflict broke out on 26 of August 1966, when a group of the South African Police and SWAPO forces shot at each other. This became the start of what became known in South Africa as the Border War.
The neighbouring country of Angola gained its independence on 11 November 1975 during the Portuguese Colonial war. The leftist Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) came to power as the main party of Angola. In March 1976, the MPLA offered SWAPO bases in Angola for launching attacks against the South African military.
Modern Namibia
changeNamibia gained its independence in 1990. SWAPO have since become the dominant political party of Namibia.[8]
Notable members
changeElection history
changePresidential elections
change| Election | Party candidate | Votes | % | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Sam Nujoma | 370,452 | 76.34% | Elected 
|
| 1999 | 414,096 | 76.82% | Elected
| |
| 2004 | Hifikepunye Pohamba | 625,605 | 76.45% | Elected
|
| 2009 | 611,241 | 75.25% | Elected
| |
| 2014 | Hage Geingob | 772,528 | 86.73% | Elected
|
| 2019 | 464,703 | 56.3% | Elected
|
National Assembly elections
change| Election | Party leader | Votes | % | Seats | +/– | Position | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Sam Nujoma | 384,567 | 57.33% | 41 / 72
|
 41
|
1st
|
Majority government |
| 1994 | 370,452 | 76.34% | 53 / 72
|
12
|
 1st
|
Supermajority government | |
| 1999 | 414,096 | 76.82% | 55 / 78
|
2
|
1st
|
Supermajority government | |
| 2004 | 625,605 | 76.44% | 55 / 78
|
|
1st
|
Supermajority government | |
| 2009 | Hifikepunye Pohamba | 611,241 | 75.25% | 54 / 72
|
 1
|
1st
|
Supermajority government |
| 2014 | 785,671 | 86.73% | 77 / 96
|
23
|
1st
|
Supermajority government | |
| 2019 | Hage Geingob | 536,861 | 65.45% | 63 / 96
|
14
|
1st
|
Majority government |
National Council elections
change| Election | Seats | +/– | Position | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | 19 / 26
|
19
|
1st
|
Supermajority |
| 1998 | 21 / 26
|
2
|
1st
|
Supermajority |
| 2004 | 24 / 26
|
3
|
1st
|
Supermajority |
| 2010 | 24 / 26
|
|
1st
|
Supermajority |
| 2015 | 40 / 42
|
16
|
1st
|
Supermajority |
| 2020 | 28 / 42
|
12
|
1st
|
Supermajority |
References
change- ↑ "Socialism with Namibian characteristics". Namibian Sun. 17 January 2019. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
- ↑ "Will Swapo's Socialism Come to 'Mixed Economy' Namibia?". The Namibian. Archived from the original on 20 February 2022. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
- ↑ Iileka, Sakeus (9 November 2017). "Politburo approves sweeping changes". The Namibian. p. 1. Archived from the original on 12 November 2017. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Tötemeyer, Gerhard (December 2007). "The Management of a Dominant Political Party system with particular reference to Namibia" (PDF). Friedrich Ebert Stiftung. p. 3. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 February 2012. Retrieved 20 November 2019.
- ↑ Dauth, Timothy (17 January 1995). "From Liberation Organisations to Ruling Parties: The ANC and SWAPO in Transition". NamNet Digest, Vol. 95, no. 3. Retrieved 9 June 2011.
- ↑ Seibeb, Henny (12 May 2017). "Social Movements, Party Politics And Democracy In Namibia". The Namibian. Archived from the original on 13 October 2017. Retrieved 12 October 2017.
- ↑ Soiri, Iina (May 1996). The Radical Motherhood: Namibian Women's Independence Struggle. ISBN 9789171063809. Retrieved 20 November 2019.
{{cite book}}:|work=ignored (help) - ↑ 8.0 8.1 Matundu-Tjiparuro, Kae (19 April 2010). "The founder of Swapo". New Era (Namibia).