Tanzania, Namibia shatter ceilings with first women presidents

DAR ES SALAAM: PRESIDENT Samia on the right side of history TO be on the right side of history, is to understand how unique a leader is and it is desirable to know the right side of history and where history itself is going.

Tanzania has always been a preponderance, in the annals of liberation movement, a peace maker that produced eminent leaders that defined the cause of Southern African Development Community (SADC) regional integration and the East African community.

Recently, President Samia presided over SADC organ troika, the organ responsible to manage security, defence and stability cooperation of the SADC member states.

And being on the right side of history in foreign policy, by November 2022, President Samia Suluhu Hassan became the first African president and the only African woman head of State to be received by the People’s Republic of China, the new Pre eminent Global Super Power, after the 20th National Congress of China’s Communist party.

She upgraded the bilateral relations in China toward a strategic cooperation and partnership and on March 29th to March 31st she hosted the former US Vice-President, Kamala Harris in one of her key African nation’s Vice-Presidential visits.

But the renaissance of the President Samia Suluhu Hassan (SSH), rises up again in the era of challenging times on the global stage, where a global trade war is going on between the world’s largest economies.

In an era that requires a post trade war moment and apparently knowing where history is going shaped by President Samia is the unique opportunity to welcome another significant head of State in the SADC region and African continent, her excellency Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, President of the Republic of Namibia, who with Samia calibrate a SADC renaissance of SADC leadership, as the first women Heads of State in the region, leading with presidential durability, as the first among equals, after of her Excellency Joyce Banda of Malawi in recent history.

President Suluhu and President Netumbo historical meetings It is not a coincidence of the present decades that the two leaders have met as Presidents, but sifting the annals of history, you realise President Samia and President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah of Namibia once met in the Netherlands, a historical record which was echoed by the evidence of the two leaders appearing in a photograph, as pointed out by President Suluhu in her welcoming remarks to her visiting head of State.

Both young and junior officials they also met in Beijing during the Beijing World Conference on Women.

In a short but significant recast of history, the two presidents were holding the torch of a post liberation cooperation between the United Republic of Tanzania and the Republic of Namibia.

Rising within the shadows of global diplomacy, unnoticed by the cameras that would one day follow their every significant encounter in history.

Now, decades later, they stand at the helm of their nations: President Samia of Tanzania and President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah the first women to lead their countries, both having risen from the Vice-Presidency, both chairpersons of their political parties, both carved from the rough marble of merit, loyalty and quiet endurance.

Their leadership is not symbolic, it is strategic, earned and unshakeably real.

President Samia, once Tanzania’s VicePresident, former Minister for Union Affairs and Vice-President under John Magufuli, stepped into power amid crisis, during the annus horribilis year 2021 during the critical end of the covid 19 pandemic, stewarding constitutional reform and restoring regional trust.

President Nandi-Ndaitwah, Namibia’s longtime Minister for International Relations and Deputy Prime Minister, built her reputation on decades of principled diplomacy from SWAPO’s liberation struggle to statecraft in Windhoek. Tanzania and Namibia as sister republics cooperating for the Liberation of Namibia.

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“Unbeknownst to many, one of the most pivotal incidents in our national emergency history was the Boers bombing of the Selenda Bridge during our Tanzanian support of Namibia’s liberation. It led directly to the construction of the Selenda Bridge Police Station…, a response born of necessity, resilience and strategic security.” Dr Jakaya Kikwete, March 21st 2021 Anniversary of 40 years of SADC.

Living in the cause of deep cooperation between Namibia and Tanzania and a post liberation era, is one of the most influential Statesmen in our time and a statesman who knows our history and the history of liberation movements and Tanzanian significant participation, is Dr Jakaya Kikwete, our 4th and former Presidents.

There is a profound difference between studying a nation’s history and receiving it firsthand from elders, especially those who have shaped it as statesmen.

I have a deeper understanding on the teachings of liberation struggle and Tanzanian role from many intellectuals, including my father and historians and political scientists, but on March 21st 2021, I had the honour of listening to the key note address of former President Jakaya Kikwete during the anniversary of the 40th anniversary of SADC and the significant role of Tanzania in the liberation support of Southern African nations, including Namibia.

Dr Kikwete gave a key note address at the university of Dar es Salaam, explaining to officials within Tanzania, from across the region and to young minds at the Hill, who were there to learn the significance of Tanzania contribution in the front-line states, Tanzania’s role against apartheid regime and I was one individual among the audience, during that key note address of Dr Jakaya Kikwete, explained how SWAPO leaders, were groomed in Tanzania and how the father of the nation, Mwl Jullius Kambarage Nyerere, had sent strong support to fight the Boers, in former Germany West Africa, (present day Namibia) who had invaded Namibia, Boer’s unwarranted territorial claims went beyond the Namaqualand, under Germany rule.

Front line states, under the leadership of Tanzania had to invade enmass, to check out the invading Boer forces and this is a history we had paid the price for pan African liberation for Namibia.

Tanzania significant support of voices of Namibia 1960-1967 The South West Africa People’s organisation (SWAPO) had to develop a voice for its liberation cause in exile.

One of those voices was the publication of the communique called “Solidarity” produced in Cairo Egypt in 1960’s but later in Dar es Salaam Tanzania in 1967, it was later renamed as “The Namibia today”.

These historical records remain crucial for modern Tanzanians, in the cause of our foreign policy, a country’s whose moral obligation was beyond nationalism within our border’s interest.

Adreas Shipanga under the advice of Mwl Julius Nyerere and Sam Nujoma, began publishing the paper biweekly in Dar es Salaam and Cairo, circa 1960’s and later brought it to Windhoek in 1989.

However, like all political challenges, after independence, Shipanga did not meet eye to eye in the leadership vision with many of the founding leaders of independent Africa.

Historical cooperation between the ruling parties in Tanzania and Namibia TANU youth League which was later transformed into CCM Youth Wing, had close cooperation with the SYL, SWAPO’s Youth League, which was later named Namibian Youth.

Both leagues were responsible to nature patriotic ideologies of human dignity and Africa’s liberation. Foreign Policies Memoir Literature: Samia Suluhu Hassan and President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah.

ALSO READ: Tanzania commanders land in Namibia for military affairs drill

This article offers a memoirstyle lens on future foreign policy, highlighting blue economy cooperation between Tanzania and Namibia.

It is a selective focus of President Samia and President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah.

As historians and political commentators name President Samia Suluhu Hassan as the SSH, it is also symbolic to name President Netumbo Nandi Ndaitwah as the triple N, or simply NNN, imagine how unique is to be the first woman president, of a Republic whose name starts with “N” and all your name initials start with “N”.

This is purely historic, for memoir literature. But this account alone is not enough in contemporary foreign policy.

If we are to help shape Namibia and Tanzania contemporary cooperation and significant success of our foreign policies, we must remember that the liberation struggles were to make our countries independent.

We are all members of the regional bloc whose foundation bears the name of the Namibia’s capital city, “The Windhoek Treaty of 1992, that brought SADC into existence.

Blue Economy Cooperation: A Model from Namibia Namibia’s effective marine resource management and its thriving logistics hub at Walvis Bay exemplify how the blue economy can fuel growth, making it a model for Can-do Africa.

Tanzania, with its abundant coastal and inland waters, can follow suit by investing in sustainable fishing, maritime security and marine industries to transform ocean assets into engines of national development.

To lead effectively in the 21st century, Namibia and Tanzania must embrace merit-based governance balancing political loyalty with proven expertise.

While loyalty has its place, national development demands skilled leaders in key institutions.

Strategic investment in AI, cybersecurity, civil engineering, health sciences, agriculture and education reform is vital to future-proof the region’s workforce and infrastructure.

As Tanzania and Namibia turn a new page under historic leadership, their shared legacy of liberation must now be matched by innovation, merit and strategic cooperation.

In a world of rising uncertainty, success will depend not on sentiment, but on skill, vision and bold diplomacy.

The writer (pictured) is an Advocate of the High Court of Tanzania and Columnist Contributor for the Daily News reachable via: +255747130688 email: norvum728@gmail.com