SWAPO

Not to be confused with SWANU.

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; 64 years ago (1960-04-19)
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

Foundation

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]

South West Africa

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.

Modern Namibia

Namibia gained its independence in 1990. SWAPO have since become the dominant political party of Namibia.^[8]

Notable members

• Sam Nujoma
• Hifikepunye Pohamba
• Hage Geingob
• Henock Kankoshi
• Adolf Hitler Uunona
• Jacob Kuhangua
• Jafet Penda Ya Ndakolo
• Theo-Ben Gurirab
• Louis Nelengani
• Nahas Angula
• Lucas Nepela

Election history

Presidential elections

Election	Party candidate	Votes	%	Result
1994	Sam Nujoma	370,452	76.34%	Elected Y
1999		414,096	76.82%	Elected Y
2004	Hifikepunye Pohamba	625,605	76.45%	Elected Y
2009		611,241	75.25%	Elected Y
2014	Hage Geingob	772,528	86.73%	Elected Y
2019		464,703	56.3%	Elected Y

National Assembly elections

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

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

1. "Socialism with Namibian characteristics". Namibian Sun. 17 January 2019. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
2. "Will Swapo's Socialism Come to 'Mixed Economy' Namibia?". The Namibian. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
3. 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. 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.
5. 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.
6. Seibeb, Henny (12 May 2017). "Social Movements, Party Politics And Democracy In Namibia". The Namibian. Retrieved 12 October 2017.
7. Soiri, Iina (May 1996). The Radical Motherhood: Namibian Women's Independence Struggle. ISBN 9789171063809. Retrieved 20 November 2019. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
8. Matundu-Tjiparuro, Kae (19 April 2010). "The founder of Swapo". New Era (Namibia).