Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has made history as Namibia’s first female president, winning the election with 57% of the vote, Al Jazeera reports, citing results released Tuesday by the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN).
However, her victory is overshadowed by allegations of electoral irregularities and promises of legal challenges from opposition parties.
The 72-year-old Nandi-Ndaitwah, representing the ruling South West Africa People’s Organisation (SWAPO) party, secured a decisive win, defying predictions of a runoff.
The election, however, was marred by significant logistical problems, including widespread shortages of ballot papers and other technical issues that forced the ECN to extend voting until Saturday. Long queues, with some voters waiting up to 12 hours, led to many abandoning their attempts to cast ballots on the first day.
Opposition parties, particularly the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC), have vehemently rejected the results, claiming the extension was illegal and arguing that the election was neither free nor fair. IPC candidate Panduleni Itula, who received 25.5% of the vote according to the ECN, said on Saturday that the elections were not “free, fair and legitimate.” The IPC has pledged to challenge the results in court.
Nandi-Ndaitwah’s ascension to the presidency followed the death of President Hage Geingob in February, after which she was promoted from her position as vice president. Despite SWAPO’s decades-long rule, the party faces growing discontent among young voters grappling with high unemployment and persistent inequalities.
Nandi-Ndaitwah’s political career began with her involvement in Namibia’s underground independence movement in the 1970s. After returning from the UK, she entered parliament in 1990 and served in various ministerial roles throughout the years.
