The Southwest African People's Organisation (SWAPO) was founded in 1960 by black Namibjans. The SWAPO was the largest of all political movements formed to fight for independence in Namibia and she enjoyed the best International recognition and connections, especially at the OAU and UNO.

Under the leadership of Sam Nujoma, SWAPO began to recruit from other tribes, making it to become the largest, most coherent and organised Liberation Movement in Namibia.

After unsuccessfully attempting to use peaceful means to persuade South Africa to grant independence to Namibia, SWAPO made a decision for the preparation of an armed struggle in 1961.

In August 1966, SWAPO launched a guerrilla war against the occupying South African forces and fighting continued until 1989, when a ceasefire was agreed. SWAPO candidates won the Constituent Assembly elections held in November 1989, the delegates approved a constitution and elected Sam Nujoma as first president of Namibia. In December 1994, SWAPO won the second peaceful elections with 70 percent. In 1999, a transitional clause of the Namibian Constitution was amendea" to allow Sam Nujoma to stand for a third term. SWAPO won the 1999 national presidential elections and stays in power for another five-year term.

The SWAPO made a number of contributions towards the liberation of Namibia as explained below.

SWAPO mobilised and recruited members from all the tribes of Namibia for a common cause of gaining independence. Though SWAPO was predominantly Ovambo at its inception, it recruited from almost all the tribes of Namibia.

It sent its recruits for guerrilla training in Zambia, Angola, Mozambique, Egypt, Algeria and the former USSR. The recruits returned in the mid 1960s to wage war against South Africa.

SWAPO established the People's Liberation Army (PLAN) as its military wing to fight for independence. The PLAN declared protracted guerrilla warfare against South Africa in 1966 and fought on until 1989, when South Africa agreed to grant independence to Namibia.

Before resorting to armed struggle, SWAPO explored peaceful means of attaining independence for Namibia. It used dialogue and persuasion which were ignored by South Africa.

SWAPO also organised nationwide strikes and demonstrations in December 1971 to cripple the occupying forces in Namibia and bring independence. Over 20,000 contract workers were joined by peasants across the country. However, the strikes turned violent and South Africa responded by razing entire villages, mass arrests and detention and torture.

SWAPO opposed the Turnhalle proposals. The Turnhalle Talks of 1975 to 1977 was an attempt by South Africa to negotiate an internal settlement of the issue of Namibia. The Turnhalle proposals noted that "Namibia should obtain independence from South Africa in 1978, but that the separation into 'homelands' and 'the white area' should continue under some kind of South African guarantee, whichimplied the continuance of some kind of control." The SWAPO opposed this deal and demanded nothing less than complete independence for Namibia. The SWAPO successfully influenced blacks to boycott South African elections in Namibia, based on the Turnhalle proposals.

The SWAPO vigorously fought and opposed the 1964 Odendaal Plan, which bound Namibia to South Africa. The Odendaal Plan, which aimed at reducing Namibia to a mere province of South Africa, was implemented by South Africa. It created black homelands and reserved 60 percent <if Namibia as a "white area'. Faced with this plan, SWAPO turned to armed resistance to liberate Namibia.

In 1966, SWAPO took South Africa to the ICJ and lodged a case against South Africa's illegal occupation of Namibia. The International Court of Justice ruled in 1971 that South Africa should end its occupation of Namibia and told the UN Security Council that other states should stop assisting South Africa to remain in Namibia.

The organisation solicited for and received support from the UNO and OAU. Both organisations recognised SWAPO and through the Liberation Committee, the OAU extended moral, material, financial and military support, which SWAPO put to use fighting for independence in Namibia. The UNO through the decolonising committee and the trusteeship council also helped SWAPO to decolonise Namibia.

After the independence of Angola and Mozambique in 1975, SWAPO established bases in these countries from where it launched more substantial military attacks against the South African occupying forces. South Africa responded by bombarding SWAPO bases in Angola and Mozambique, leading to hundreds, of freedom fighters to die. This forced SWAPO to establish home bases in Namibia.

The SWAPO too solicited and got support from both the capitalist and communist blocs. The Soviet Union, Cuba, Canada, America, West Germany, Britain and France extended recognition and support to SWAPO.

The SWAPO trained leaders such as Sam Nujoma and Hage Geingob, who continue to lead the country up to date.

It opposed the introduction of apartheid in Namibia in 1966.

The organisation forged cooperation and friendship with other liberation movements in Africa. It closely worked with the ANC, MPLA and FRELIMO to bring about the total decolonisation of Africa.

The SWAPO participated in and won the Constituent Assembly elections of 1990. While in government SWAPO has successfully transformed itself from a rebel and military organisation to a nationwide political organisation. It has implemented the long awaited reforms that have set the foundation for Namibia's development. This explains its continued triumph in successive elections in Namibia.