Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has become the first woman to lead Namibia. The Electoral Commission of Namibia announced on Tuesday that the 72-year-old vice president won last week's presidential election with 57% of the vote. Her victory allows the SWAPO party to continue its 34-year hold on power since the country gained independence from apartheid South Africa in 1990.
The election faced challenges, including a shortage of ballot papers and other technical issues. These problems led election officials to extend the voting period until Saturday. Opposition parties claim this extension was illegal and plan to challenge the results in court.
Despite these difficulties, SWAPO maintained its majority in the parliamentary vote. This sets it apart from long-ruling parties in nearby South Africa and Botswana, which lost their majorities this year amid a regional desire for change.
Nandi-Ndaitwah has a long history of involvement in Namibian politics. In the 1970s, she participated in the underground independence movement. Earlier this year, she was promoted to vice president after the passing of President Hage Geingob while in office. She will now become Namibia's fifth president since independence.
The ruling party celebrated the election outcome on social media, posting, "SWAPO Wins. Netumbo Wins. Namibia Wins. Now Hard Work." However, some opposition parties boycotted the announcement of the results, questioning the Electoral Commission of Namibia's handling of the vote. They argue that many Namibians were denied the chance to vote due to the technical problems.
Panduleni Itula of the Independent Patriots for Change party secured second place in the presidential race with 25% of the vote. His party also won the second-largest number of seats in Parliament, following SWAPO. The Independent Patriots for Change have been vocal in their criticism of the vote and intend to file a legal challenge, deeming the three-day voting extension unconstitutional.
Namibia, a vast nation on Africa's southwest coast, is known for its stable democracy despite its sparse population of just 3 million people spread across an area more than twice the size of Germany.
The election faced challenges, including a shortage of ballot papers and other technical issues. These problems led election officials to extend the voting period until Saturday. Opposition parties claim this extension was illegal and plan to challenge the results in court.
Despite these difficulties, SWAPO maintained its majority in the parliamentary vote. This sets it apart from long-ruling parties in nearby South Africa and Botswana, which lost their majorities this year amid a regional desire for change.
Nandi-Ndaitwah has a long history of involvement in Namibian politics. In the 1970s, she participated in the underground independence movement. Earlier this year, she was promoted to vice president after the passing of President Hage Geingob while in office. She will now become Namibia's fifth president since independence.
The ruling party celebrated the election outcome on social media, posting, "SWAPO Wins. Netumbo Wins. Namibia Wins. Now Hard Work." However, some opposition parties boycotted the announcement of the results, questioning the Electoral Commission of Namibia's handling of the vote. They argue that many Namibians were denied the chance to vote due to the technical problems.
Panduleni Itula of the Independent Patriots for Change party secured second place in the presidential race with 25% of the vote. His party also won the second-largest number of seats in Parliament, following SWAPO. The Independent Patriots for Change have been vocal in their criticism of the vote and intend to file a legal challenge, deeming the three-day voting extension unconstitutional.
Namibia, a vast nation on Africa's southwest coast, is known for its stable democracy despite its sparse population of just 3 million people spread across an area more than twice the size of Germany.
