Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has made history by becoming Namibia’s first female president after a disputed election last week.
She is a member of the South West Africa People’s Organisation (Swapo), which has been in power since Namibia gained independence in 1990. The electoral commission reported that Nandi-Ndaitwah received over 57% of the votes, while her main opponent, Panduleni Itula, received 26%.
Itula criticized the election process, saying it was “deeply flawed.” He pointed to problems like delays and a three-day extension for voting in some areas. His party, the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC), plans to challenge the election results in court.
Many opposition parties chose not to attend the results announcement in the capital, Windhoek, but life in the city was calm on Wednesday, with people going about their daily routines.
After her victory was announced, Nandi-Ndaitwah said, “The Namibian nation has voted for peace and stability.”
She has been a leader in Swapo for many years and has held important government positions for 25 years. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa congratulated her, calling her election a significant achievement for democracy in the region.
Once she is sworn in, Nandi-Ndaitwah will join Tanzania’s Samia Suluhu Hassan as Africa’s only female president.
In the same elections, Swapo retained its majority in parliament, winning 51 out of 96 seats, but lost 12 compared to the last election. The IPC secured 20 seats and will serve as the official opposition.
Political analyst Tirivangani Masawi noted that this election marked Swapo’s worst performance since the country’s independence.
The Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) acknowledged its mistakes but denied any allegations of fraud.
-BBC
