By: Joy Musa
In a bold and uncompromising stance, Namibia’s President, Her Excellency Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, has officially rejected a proposal from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to conduct clinical trials of a long-term hormonal intrauterine device (IUD) in Namibia. The device, designed to prevent pregnancy for up to eight years, was intended Namibian women as part of a broader reproductive health initiative.
President Nandi-Ndaitwah, who became Namibia’s first female head of state in March 2025, issued a strongly worded statement condemning the proposal as “a profound injustice to the Namibian people and humanity at large.”
“Namibia is a nation of modest size, with a population of just over 3 million,” she declared. “If any country should consider measures to curb population growth, it ought to be nations like the United States, with over 347 million people. Any attempt to hinder or suppress the growth of human potential in Namibia constitutes a grave injustice to our people and their future.”
The President’s remarks have sparked widespread debate across the continent, with many praising her for defending national sovereignty and reproductive autonomy. Others have raised concerns about the implications for international partnerships in public health.
The Gates Foundation has not yet issued a formal response to the rejection, but sources close to the organization suggest that the proposal was part of a broader initiative to expand access to contraceptive options in underserved regions.
President Nandi-Ndaitwah’s decision aligns with her administration’s broader commitment to protecting Namibian dignity and resisting external pressures that may compromise national values. Her leadership has already been marked by promises of radical reforms to combat poverty and inequality.
As the story unfolds, it raises critical questions about the ethics of global health interventions, the role of developing nations in shaping their own reproductive policies, and the balance between innovation and consent.
However, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah is a veteran politician and SWAPO stalwart who joined the liberation movement in her teens. She assumed office as Namibia’s fifth president on March 21, 2025, following a historic election victory.
