Namibia's parliament sworn in

2005-03-20 17:41

Windhoek, Namibia - A new parliament was sworn into office on Sunday, the day before Namibia's founding father Sam Nujoma hands power to his designated successor after a 23-year independence war and three terms as president.

Before a packed public gallery, 72 lawmakers came forward in groups of 10 and pledged to be faithful to Namibia, its constitution and its people.

Former prime minister Theo Ben Gurirab was elected speaker of Parliament, replacing Mose Tjitendero, who held the post for 15 years.

Gurirab said he would focus on the challenges of consolidating democracy and fighting poverty in the southwest African nation.

"By the way, punctuality is a sacred dictum in the House - remember that at all times," he was quoted as saying.

Nujoma's Swapo party won 55 of Parliament's 72 seats in legislative and presidential elections in November.

Nujoma, a former guerrilla fighter with a combative reputation, has led Namibia since independence from South Africa in 1990.

On Monday, he hands over the presidency to Hifikepunye Pohamba, who has been at his side since the early days of the independence struggle in the 1960s.

But Nujoma, who had the constitution amended to allow himself a third term, will remain Swapo's leader, raising questions about how much power his successor will enjoy.

Pohamba is expected to continue his mentor's policy of pragmatic governance and slow and steady economic growth and development.

He is also expected to push ahead with land reform in a country where the bulk of commercial farmland is concentrated in the hands of a few thousand farmers, most of them white.

In neighboring Zimbabwe, the government of President Robert Mugabe - an old friend of Nujoma's - has seized thousands of white-owned farms without providing any compensation to the owners, devastating the country's economy.

In contrast, Namibian authorities have insisted on only buying farms from willing sellers.

Namibia also suffers from deep poverty and perennial food shortages. More than 21 percent of its 1.8 million population are HIV-infected.

Namibia, a diamond-rich, semi-desert country, was ruled by Germany from 1884. South Africa occupied the territory for more than 70 years after Germany's defeat in World War I and imposed apartheid on its northern neighbour.

- AP