SWAPO
SWAPO Party of Namibia South West Africa People's Organisation | |
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| Abbreviation | SWAPO |
| President | Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah |
| Vice-President | Lucia Witbooi |
| Secretary-General | Sophia Shaningwa |
| Vice Secretary-General | Nangolo Mbumba |
| Founders | Sam Nujoma Mburumba Kerina Andimba Toivo Ya Toivo Jacob Kuhangua Solomon Mifima Paul Helmuth Andreas Shipanga Erasmus Erastus Mbumba Emil Appolus Maxton Joseph Mutongulume Carlos Hamatu |
| Founded | 19 April 1960 (66 years, 146 days) |
| Preceded by | Ovamboland People's Organization (OPO) |
| Headquarters | Erf 2464 Hans-Dietrich Genscher Street Katutura Windhoek Khomas Region |
| Newspaper | Namibia Today (1960–2015) |
| Youth wing | SWAPO Party Youth League |
| Armed wing | People's Liberation Army of Namibia (1962–1990) |
| Ideology | 2017-Present: Socialism with Namibian characteristics Left-conservatism 1990-2017: Social democracy Statism 1960-1990: Communism Marxism–Leninism Scientific socialism Anti-colonialism |
| Political position | Centre-left Historical Left-wing to far-left |
| International affiliation | Non-Aligned Movement (until 1990) Socialist International (since the 1970s) |
| African affiliation | Former Liberation Movements of Southern Africa |
| Colours | Red (primary) Blue, Green (secondary) |
| National Assembly | 51 / 104 |
| National Council | 28 / 42 |
| Regional Councils | 88 / 121 |
| Local Councils | 277 / 378 |
| Pan-African Parliament | 4 / 5 |
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The South West Africa People's Organisation (SWAPO /ˈswɑːpoʊ/; Afrikaans: Suidwes-Afrikaanse Volks Organisasie, SWAVO; German: Südwestafrikanische Volksorganisation, SWAVO), officially known as the SWAPO Party of Namibia, is a political party and former independence movement in Namibia (formerly South West Africa). Founded in 1960, it has been the governing party in Namibia since the country achieved independence in 1990. The party continues to be dominated in number and influence by the Ovambo ethnic group.
SWAPO held a two-thirds majority in parliament from 1994 to 2019. In the general election held in November 2019, the party won 65.5% of the popular vote and 63 out of the 104 seats in the National Assembly. It also holds 28 out of the 42 seats in the National Council. From November 2017 until his death in February 2024, Namibian President Hage Geingob remained the president of SWAPO after being elected to the position at the party's electoral congress.