Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah: political leader and head of household. (Namibian Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs)

Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah is Namibia's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, President of the Namibia National Women's Organisation (Nanawo), a mother of three, and head of household. Heike Becker spoke to her about her life in politics and at home.

At 41, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah is one of the few women in power in Namibia. As the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, she has moved into an unusual position for women. Worldwide, women in politics are mostly confined to social affairs like health, but seldom make it in "key ministries," such as defense, home or foreign affairs.

Born in Onamiitai in the Oshana region, Netumbo became a leader early in her life. While she was schooling at St. Mary's, the Anglican mission in Odibo, she became the Chairperson of the Southwest African People's Organisation (SWAPO) Youth League for the whole of Ovambo. The early 1970s were troubled times. The SWAPO Youth was very active in the North, organising the struggle for independence. Netumbo had to ensure that the activities were properly coordinated. This meant high responsibility as the South African authorities attempted to crush the political movement.

Netumbo says, however, that she learned to take responsibility during her childhood. "At the age of seven, I could cook, grind omahangu, prepare our local brew, omalodu. I had to make sure that everything was in order in the house." In 1973, Netumbo was detained for six months. After her release, she left for exile in June 1974, together with six male comrades. The adventurous journey led them through Angola and Zaire to Zambia, where they joined SWAPO in exile. Netumbo was "of course," she laughs, the leader, "because all of them accepted me as the chairperson of the region."

Netumbo says that she has never experienced much resistance to her leadership roles. In exile, however, she became aware that it was not a natural thing for men to accept women as leaders. In 1976, she was appointed as SWAPO's Deputy Chief Representative in the region. Netumbo feels that "it was a question of trying: Is she really going to do it as a woman?"

Netumbo did it. She was eventually appointed Chief Representative for Central Africa. Later she represented SWAPO in East Africa.

This led her into a career in diplomatic service because she acted basically as an ambassador, maintaining contact between her organisation and the countries where she was accredited.