to step down as party leader in favour of Pohamba. On 29 November 2007, Pohamba was elected as SWAPO President at a party congress; he was the only candidate to be nominated and no voting was deemed necessary. Nujoma said that he was "passing the torch and mantle of leadership to comrade Pohamba". The congress also chose Pohamba as the party's only candidate for the 2009 presidential election. Pohamba won a second term in the November 2009 presidential election, receiving 611,241 total votes (76.42%). The second place candidate, Hidipo Hamutenya (who had left SWAPO and gone into opposition), received 88,640 (11.08%). Pohamba was unable to stand for re-election in 2014 due to constitutional term limits. The election was again won overwhelmingly by SWAPO, and Pohamba was succeeded by Hage Geingob on 21 March 2015. Less than a month later, on 19 April 2015, he retired as president of SWAPO. He ended his term with high approval ratings, being hailed for pushing for gender equality and increased spending on housing and education. Private life Pohamba is married to Penehupifo since 1983. The couple owns farm Guinaspoh #41 near Otavi. Honours Foreign honours : Grand Cordon of the Order of the Pioneers of Liberia (29 July 2009) Awards Pohamba is a recipient of the Omugulugwombashe Medal for Bravery and Long Service. In 2011, he was awarded a Doctorate of Philosophy honoris causa by the University of Namibia. In 2015, he was awarded the 2014 Mo Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership of $5 million by the Mo Ibrahim Foundation. On 29 April 2016, he was awarded a Doctorate honoris causa by the University for Development Studies, Tamale, Ghana References External links Interview with Hifikepunye Pohamba by Tor Sellström within the project Nordic Documentation on the Liberation Struggle in Southern Africa – dated 15 March 1995. |- |- |- |- |- 1936 births Living people Members of the National Assembly (Namibia) Namibian Anglicans Ovambo people People from Ohangwena Region Peoples' Friendship University of Russia alumni Presidents of Namibia South West African anti-apartheid activists SWAPO politicians Namibian independence activists Home affairs ministers of Namibia Fisheries ministers of Namibia Ministers without portfolio of Namibia Land reform ministers of Namibia