Namibia Government

The official name of the government of Namibia is the Republic of Namibia and it got its independence from South Africa on March 21, 1990. The country has a presidential system government and it is a unitary state. The government is separated into three organs of the judiciary, presidency, and the legislature. The president is the head of state and the leader of government.

The parliament in Namibia is bicameral and is made up of two different chambers namely the National Assembly, and the National Council. 104 members make up the National Assembly. 96 of these members are elected while the remaining eight are appointed by the president, all serve for five years. The National Council consists of 42 members. All the 14 regional councils in the country each selects three members to serve on the National Council. These members can be elected or selected for a five-year term. Since independence, the two chambers of parliament are situated at the Tintenpalast which is located in Windhoek, the capital of Namibia. Surrounded by the Parliament Gardens and found north of Robert Mugabe Avenue, the Tintenpalast was designed by Gottlieb Redecker, a German architect, and constructed by the Sander & Kock Company between 1912 and 1913. Initially, it was the administration building for the German government, under which Namibia was a colony at the time, and was opened on April 12, 1913.

Eligible voters in Namibia should be 18 years and above and have Namibian citizenship. The voters’ registration card is renewed after every ten years. Elections are conducted at the national level to elect the president and the legislature after every five years. Presidential candidates must be at least 35 years and above. The winning candidate for the presidential elections must attain more than 50% of the votes cast.

Even though Namibia is a multiparty democracy state, South West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) has succeeded in each election since Independence. The party was founded in 1960 and started as a liberation movement advocating for the country’s independence. Other political parties in the country include Democratic Turnhalle Alliance, National Unity Democratic Organization, and Rally for Democracy and Progress, among others.