As Namibia gears up for its regional and local authority elections, scheduled for November, young leaders are emerging with a clear message: the future is now, and it has a youthful face.
Regional councils and local authorities play a critical role in service delivery, housing, water, sanitation, roads and community development. Yet, for many young people in Namibia, these structures have long felt distant or ineffective.
From Windhoek to smaller towns like Okahandja, young Namibians are entering the political arena with bold ideas, community-based platforms and a commitment to transparency and inclusion.
“Youth are not the leaders of tomorrow; youth are the leaders of today,” says Swanu of Namibia youth leader Ripuree Mbakurupa, a youth advocate and candidate with a deep-rooted connection to Windhoek’s disadvantaged communities. Her work through the Starr Charity Project and focus on eradicating urban hunger have positioned her as a voice for the voiceless.
In the Windhoek East constituency, under the Popular Democratic Movement, Gabriella Stadhauer (28), a political science graduate and former aide to national lawmakers, is making a strong case for generational change.
“Politics must work,” she states. “I’m not here to make grand promises. I want to see governance that reflects competence, compassion and accountability in equal measure.”
Her campaign centres around improved service delivery, youth employment and making constituency offices more responsive and transparent.
At Okahandja, Gideon Kambonde (33) is running under the Republican Party, determined to uplift the community that raised him. A musician, football coach and youth leader, Kambonde combines grassroots energy with a strong development agenda calling for land reform, a new clinic and youth empowerment centres.
“If I don’t deliver, the people who put me in power have the right to remove me,” he says, signalling a clear break from the era of untouchable leadership.
His platform includes support for the creative economy, gender inclusion and spiritual leadership through a proposed quarterly town-wide day of prayer.
In a country where over 60% of the population is under the age of 35, young leaders’ presence is essential.
The 2025 elections come at a time of growing political frustration among the youth who continue to grapple with unemployment, inequality and limited opportunities in decision-making spaces. But for candidates like Mbakurupa, Stadhauer and Kambonde, politics is no longer a waiting game.
“We are not here for rhetoric,” says Stadhauer. “We are here for delivery, for systems that work and for the people who’ve been forgotten.”
As the electoral clock ticks down, one thing is clear: Namibia’s political landscape is shifting and youth are no longer asking for space. They are claiming it.
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