Politics of Namibia

[3] The Constituent Assembly of Namibia produced a constitution which established a multi-party system and a bill of rights.

It also limited the executive president to two five-year terms and provided for the private ownership of property.

The three branches of government are subject to checks and balances, and a provision is made for judicial review.

The constitution also states that Namibia should have a mixed economy, and foreign investment should be encouraged.

Namibia is a democratic but one party dominant state with the South-West Africa People's Organisation in power.

Opposition parties are allowed, but are widely considered to have no real chance of gaining power.

The Namibian head of state is the president, elected by popular vote every five years.

While the separation of powers is enshrined in the country's constitution, Namibia's civil society and the opposition repeatedly have criticised the overlap between executive and legislature.

Nineteen of its members are from the ruling SWAPO party, and seven are from the Democratic Turnhalle Alliance (DTA).

SWAPO has been a legal political party since its formation and was cautiously active in Namibia, although before implementation of the UN Plan, it was forbidden to hold meetings of more than 20 people, and its leadership was subject to frequent detention.

In December 1976, the UN General Assembly recognised SWAPO as "the sole and authentic representative of the Namibian people," a characterisation other internal parties did not accept.

In the 1999 presidential and parliamentary elections, SWAPO continued its history of political dominance, taking 55 of the 72 Assembly seats, and returning President Sam Nujoma to the office for his third term.

In 2019 Hage Geingob won the presidential election and received a second term as president.

Government did, however, give one car each to the recognised authorities, and awards allowances for fuel and administrative work.

The parallel existence of traditional authorities and the Namibian government in Namibia is controversial.