Namibia’s Ruling Party Seeks to Extend 34-Year Rule as Election Results Are Anticipated

Ballots are currently being tallied in Namibia following an election that could prove to be the most competitive since the nation achieved independence from white-ruled South Africa 34 years ago. The electoral process was affected by logistical difficulties, resulting in voting continuing for an unscheduled second day on Thursday in some areas. Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah is aiming to become the country’s first female president. She is the candidate put forward by the governing South West Africa’s People’s Organisation (Swapo), intending to succeed Hage Geingob, who passed away in February after nine years in office. However, high unemployment, poverty, inequality, and allegations of corruption have diminished support for the party. Nandi-Ndaitwah’s primary opponent is Panduleni Itula of the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) party, in addition to 13 other candidates. Throughout Wednesday, extensive queues were observed at schools and other polling centers. Nevertheless, there were reports of ballot paper shortages at certain polling stations. Voting, which commenced at 07:00 local time (05:00 GMT), was scheduled to conclude at 21:00. Yet, some polling stations still had a significant number of voters waiting within their premises to cast their ballots. Electoral commission spokesman Siluka De Wet informed the AFP news agency on Thursday morning that “some people were still voting”. Elsewhere, local media outlets were reporting the outcomes from some polling stations. Several opposition parties had requested that voting be prolonged until Thursday due to the logistical problems. Swapo has held power since leading the country to independence in 1990. A candidate needs to secure more than 50% of the vote for an outright victory; otherwise, a second-round run-off will take place between the top two candidates. Results are expected to be announced over the next few days. Nandi-Ndaitwah cast her vote in the capital, Windhoek, as the polls opened, urging fellow Namibians to participate and cast their vote, stating it will “have an impact for the next five years in your life”. She is contending with a traditional and male-dominated political culture within the country. However, she is a trusted leader, having served in high government office for a quarter of a century. Itula, a former dentist and lawyer, garnered 29% of the votes in the previous elections in 2019, losing to Swapo leader Geingob, who received 56%. He declared this an important day for Namibia’s democracy as he cast his vote in the capital. Namibia is currently under the leadership of interim President Nangolo Mbumba, who assumed office in February after Geingob’s death, but he is not running in this election. Analysts suggest that the outcome could be determined by young voters, who comprise more than half of the electorate. Namibians are also electing new members of parliament. Namibia is a vast and peaceful country with a sparse population of approximately three million, about half of whom are eligible to vote. For more news from the African continent, visit BBCAfrica.com. Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa, or on Instagram at bbcafrica. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.