political party in Namibia, formerly organization From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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 | |
![]() |
SWAPO 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]
During 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.
Namibia gained its independence in 1990. SWAPO have since become the dominant political party of Namibia.[8]
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 ![]() |
Election | Party leader | Votes | % | Seats | +/– | Position | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1989 | Sam Nujoma | 384,567 | 57.33% | 41 / 72 |
![]() |
![]() |
Majority government |
1994 | 370,452 | 76.34% | 53 / 72 |
![]() |
![]() |
Supermajority government | |
1999 | 414,096 | 76.82% | 55 / 78 |
![]() |
![]() |
Supermajority government | |
2004 | 625,605 | 76.44% | 55 / 78 |
![]() |
![]() |
Supermajority government | |
2009 | Hifikepunye Pohamba | 611,241 | 75.25% | 54 / 72 |
![]() |
![]() |
Supermajority government |
2014 | 785,671 | 86.73% | 77 / 96 |
![]() |
![]() |
Supermajority government | |
2019 | Hage Geingob | 536,861 | 65.45% | 63 / 96 |
![]() |
![]() |
Majority government |
Election | Seats | +/– | Position | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
1992 | 19 / 26 |
![]() |
![]() |
Supermajority |
1998 | 21 / 26 |
![]() |
![]() |
Supermajority |
2004 | 24 / 26 |
![]() |
![]() |
Supermajority |
2010 | 24 / 26 |
![]() |
![]() |
Supermajority |
2015 | 40 / 42 |
![]() |
![]() |
Supermajority |
2020 | 28 / 42 |
![]() |
![]() |
Supermajority |
Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.
Every time you click a link to Wikipedia, Wiktionary or Wikiquote in your browser's search results, it will show the modern Wikiwand interface.
Wikiwand extension is a five stars, simple, with minimum permission required to keep your browsing private, safe and transparent.