Namibia’s ruling party, SWAPO, was declared the victor last Tuesday in a contentious election that ushered in the country’s first female president. However, the main opposition has refused to accept the results. Vice-President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah secured just over 57 percent of the vote, while her closest rival, Panduleni Itula of the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC), garnered 25.5 percent, according to the electoral commission.
At 72 years old, Nandi-Ndaitwah has made history as Namibia’s first female head of state. The mineral-rich nation, which has been under SWAPO’s leadership since gaining independence in 1990, faces significant challenges despite its natural resources. The election on November 27 was marred by logistical challenges, including ballot paper shortages and technical glitches that led to extended voting days and long waits for voters.
Reports of voters standing in queues for up to 12 hours on the first day led many to abandon the process. The IPC has alleged these delays were deliberate attempts to suppress votes. Itula, the party’s presidential candidate, labeled the election process as riddled with irregularities and pledged not to recognize the outcome. On Saturday, at the close of the extended vote, he declared the IPC would pursue legal avenues to annul the results.
Election observers, including southern African human rights lawyers, criticized the vote as being plagued by widespread and deliberate inefficiencies. The Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) acknowledged the challenges, citing ballot shortages and malfunctioning voter registration tablets among the issues. Despite these obstacles, voter turnout was nearly 77 percent of the 1.5 million registered voters.
This election was seen as a critical test for SWAPO amid declining support for liberation-era parties in southern Africa. Recent months have seen significant political shifts, including South Africa’s African National Congress losing its parliamentary majority and Botswana’s Democratic Party losing power after decades of dominance. Namibia, though rich in uranium and diamonds, has struggled with high unemployment, particularly among young people. Official data from 2018 put the jobless rate for those aged 15 to 34 at 46 percent, nearly three times the national average.
Nandi-Ndaitwah, affectionately referred to by her initials NNN, is a long-time SWAPO member. Known for her gold-rimmed glasses and frequently seen wearing her party’s red, green, and blue colors, she emphasized her experience and maturity throughout her campaign.
As vice-president since February, she campaigned on promises to attract investment and generate jobs through economic diplomacy. Her election places her among the few women leaders on the African continent, marking a significant milestone in Namibia’s history.
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