Namibia has elected Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah of the ruling South West Africa People’s Organisation and has made history as Namibia’s first female president.
She was declared the winner of last week’s general election with more than 57% of the vote, defeating her closest rival, Panduleni Itula of the Independent Patriots for Change, who garnered 26%.
The announcement by Namibia’s electoral commission was met with controversy following logistical issues, including a three-day polling extension in some areas.
Alleging electoral malpractice, Itula and his party, the IPC, refused to recognize the results and announced plans to challenge the outcome in court.
Most opposition parties boycotted the official results announcement held on Tuesday evening in the capital, Windhoek.
The IPC has also urged voters who experienced difficulties during the election to file reports with the police.
In her victory speech, Nandi-Ndaitwah celebrated her win as a triumph for peace and stability in Namibia. “The Namibian nation has voted for peace and stability,” she declared, according to Reuters.
Nandi-Ndaitwah is a seasoned politician and party stalwart who has held senior government positions for over 25 years.
She is currently Swapo’s vice president and will now lead a nation that Swapo has governed since its independence from apartheid South Africa in 1990.
Upon taking office, Nandi-Ndaitwah will join Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan as one of only two female heads of state currently serving in Africa.
Despite the victory, Swapo faces challenges to its longstanding dominance.
In the 2019 presidential election, the party’s vote share dropped from 87% to 56%, reflecting growing public dissatisfaction.
This trend raised concerns that Swapo could face the same fate as other liberation movements in southern Africa, such as South Africa’s African National Congress, which lost its parliamentary majority in May, and Botswana’s Democratic Party, which was ousted from power after nearly six decades.
A trained dentist known for his charisma,Panduleni Itula, has been instrumental in eroding Swapo’s support. Following the disputed election, the IPC announced it would “pursue justice through the courts” and encouraged supporters who felt disenfranchised by alleged mismanagement to come forward with complaints.
As Nandi-Ndaitwah prepares to assume office, her presidency marks a significant milestone for gender representation in African leadership.
However, she faces the challenge of navigating Swapo’s declining popularity and addressing the grievances of an opposition determined to contest the election results.
