The Namibian government resides in the so-called "Tintenpalast" in the centre of the capital Windhoek.

The building dates back to the German colonial era and was officially opened in 1913. At that time the public was considerably agitated by the supposedly unfavourable location of the building at the top of a hill. It would probably be safe from a large surging crowd, people said mockingly. A cable railway should at least be built, they suggested. Soon the building received its nickname 'Tintenpalast' which means 'Ink Palace', taunting the work of the numerous pen-pushers and civil servants, employed in the administration. The name has been kept to this day.

Top: Dr. Nujoma and Queen Elizabeth II. Namibia became a Commonwealth member after the independence.
Left: The Tintenpalast in Windhoek, Namibia.

With the independence of Namibia in 1990, Dr. Sam Nujoma became the first president of the new country. Nujoma represents the "South West Africa People's Organisation", in short SWAPO. It led the longstanding guerilla war against the South African apartheid government, which pursued the politics of racial segregation and racial discrimination. Namibia's independence was initiated by free elections in 1989. For the first time, the black majority had the right to vote. The SWAPO emerged from these elections as the strongest political force. Following this, the legislative assembly unanimously elected Sam Nujoma president.