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Esi Schimming-Chase, a High Court judge, has been appointed as a permanent judge of the Supreme Court of Namibia in an announcement made on December 2, 2025. In a historic move, she became the first woman to take a permanent seat on the country’s highest court.
The appointment was confirmed by the Judicial Service Commission and endorsed by President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah. Esi has previously served as an acting Supreme Court judge since April 2023.
This development adds to Namibia’s expanding record of women’s leadership. The country recently became the first in the world where women hold the top three government positions. President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, Vice President Lucia Witbooi, and Speaker of the National Assembly Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila are marking a significant shift in gender representation.
Esi became a High Court judge in April 2021, after decades of legal practice as a member of the Society of Advocates of Namibia, where she had earned Senior Counsel status in 2017.
