Namibia’s Vice-President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah wins the presidential election with 57.31% of the vote, becoming the first female leader. The opposition is rejecting the results, alleging irregularities, while logistical issues marred the election process, causing extended polling and long voter wait times.
In the recent presidential elections held in Namibia, Vice-President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah of the ruling SWAPO party secured victory with 57.31 percent of the votes, as announced by the election commission on Tuesday. The main opposition candidate, Panduleni Itula from the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC), garnered 25.5 percent of the vote. Nandi-Ndaitwah, aged 72, has made history as the first female president of the resource-rich nation that has been under SWAPO’s governance since its independence in 1990. The IPC has expressed its intention to contest the election results, citing allegations of significant irregularities during the voting process. Notably, the elections conducted on November 27 were extended on two occasions due to logistical challenges, including shortages of ballot papers, which led to frustratingly long queues and caused several voters to abandon their attempts to vote after long waits of up to 12 hours.
Namibia’s political landscape has been dominated by the SWAPO party since the country gained independence from South African rule in 1990. In this context, the recent elections have drawn attention not only for the historic win of Nandi-Ndaitwah but also for the opposition’s claims of electoral misconduct. Logistics issues during the election process have also raised concerns about the reliability and fairness of the electoral system in place.
The recent presidential election results in Namibia have been met with controversy, as the IPC contests the legitimacy of the proceedings, alleging irregularities. With Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah’s victory marking a significant milestone as the first woman presidency in Namibia’s history, the political implications of these events are likely to unfold in the coming months as disputes over the electoral process continue.
Original Source: www.barrons.com
