The Swapo Party will hold an extraordinary congress at the end of February next year to elect the party's president.

The party's Information and Mobilisation Secretary, Hilma Nicanor, says the extraordinary congress will be convened to elect someone to complete the remaining term of office left vacant by Dr. Hage Geingob, who died in February.

The Swapo Party held its elective congress in November 2022, during which Geingob was elected president, deputised by Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah.

The constitution dictates that the party holds an extraordinary congress to elect a president to complete the term of the former, unless such a vacancy occurs six months prior to the ordinary congress.

However, in March this year, the party's central committee resolved that the party would only hold its extraordinary congress next year.

The congress' delay allowed the party to prepare for the 2024 Presidential and National Assembly elections with its Vice-President, Nandi-Ndaitwah, as its presidential candidate.

This decision faced an unsuccessful challenge in the Windhoek High Court by some party members, who called for an extraordinary congress before the general elections.