Swapo faces pressure to offer fresh, actionable solutions – analyst

Political analyst Ndumba Kamwanyah says Swapo is expected to face pressure to offer fresh, actionable solutions, especially for unemployment, poverty reduction, and governance issues.

This, he says, comes given the party’s past failures to fully implement previous promises to electorates.

The party is currently launching its election manifesto in Windhoek.

“They will need to convince voters that this time, they are serious about delivering,” Kamwanyah says.

He says with Swapo having been in power since independence, expectations for this manifesto revolve around expanding on their achievements, particularly in infrastructure, health, and education.

“They will likely highlight the potential of Namibia’s oil and gas discoveries, as well as the country’s role in the green hydrogen sector,” he adds.

SERVICES DELIVERED

Kamwanyah says Swapo has made progress in infrastructure, particularly in road and public health facility development.

“They have also played a major role in positioning Namibia as a player in the global green hydrogen market and are now beginning to explore the oil and gas sector,” he says.

FAILURES

Despite these achievements, Kamwanyah says Swapo has often recycled its manifestos without fully delivering on key promises, especially in tackling unemployment, reducing poverty, and fighting corruption.

“Many of their past commitments remain unfulfilled, especially in rural development and job creation. Their ability to translate major projects like green hydrogen and oil discoveries into real benefits for ordinary Namibians remains to be seen, and they risk losing credibility if they fail to outline clear implementation strategies in these sectors,” Kamwanyah says.