Namibia’s Election Nears: A Potential First Female Head of State

Namibia’s long-standing governing party anticipates that the nation will elect its first female head of state this week. Nevertheless, a widespread disillusionment with liberation movements in southern Africa, alongside a global anti-incumbency sentiment, could challenge this potentially historic achievement. Vice-President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, 72, is the candidate for Swapo, the party that has governed Namibia since its independence from apartheid South Africa in 1990. Should she win, Nandi-Ndaitwah would join an exclusive group, as Tanzania’s Samia Suluhu Hassan is currently Africa’s only female president. Her party, which has maintained complete dominance for three decades, experienced a substantial decrease in support during the last general election. It enters Wednesday’s election facing an unemployment rate of 19%—a figure nearly identical to three decades ago—along with strained government finances, corruption allegations, and significant levels of inequality. Nandi-Ndaitwah’s principal challenger among the 14 other candidates is Panduleni Itula of the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) party. She also faces a political culture in the country that is traditionally male-dominated. Nevertheless, she is a respected leader in this sparsely populated and peaceful nation, having held high government office for a quarter of a century. She has stated, “I have always believed in teamwork, that is what made me achieve what I have achieved.” Recognized for her practical and hands-on leadership approach, the Vice-President also exhibits fierce loyalty to the party, which she joined as a teenager. At 14, she became involved in the movement resisting South African rule. South Africa had governed the country, then known as South West Africa, since the end of World War One and later implemented the racist system of apartheid. She was recognized for her tenacity and organizational talent while leading Swapo’s Youth League, a role that served as a stepping stone to her political career, which has included ministerial positions in foreign affairs, tourism, child welfare, and information. She has accumulated extensive knowledge and experience that could prove beneficial if she assumes the presidency. “She seems so wise and sweet and kind, even in the way she tries to say everything in such a way that even like me will understand,” Laimi, a potential voter, informed the BBC in Windhoek, the capital. Her friend Maria commented: “Itula is like a new piece of jewellery with his glasses, his smart suit and his confident walk, but maybe he blinds you with his shine.” Both are young adults who have been unable to secure employment. Itula, 67, a trained dentist, was once a dedicated Swapo member but was expelled from the party in 2020 after running as an independent candidate against then-President Hage Geingob in the 2019 election. He had also served as a youth leader and spent time in prison before going into exile in the UK in the early 1980s. He returned to Namibia in 2013. Six years later, he made a charismatic and impactful entry into prominent Namibian politics, challenging Geingob in the presidential election after alleging that Swapo’s candidate selection process was flawed. Itula’s participation in that election resulted in Swapo achieving its lowest share of votes, 56%, in a presidential election to date, and also losing its two-thirds majority in parliament. With a professional background outside of politics, he appeals to 50% of the 1.5 million voters under the age of 35, many of whom seek economic change, employment, or a measurable increase in their incomes. His assertive and at times audacious style, which contrasts with Nandi-Ndaitwah’s more reserved political rhetoric, has earned him support among business people and the growing urban intelligentsia. However, while Itula is quick and articulate, the Vice-President chooses her words carefully, speaking slowly and deliberately. Nandi-Ndaitwah prioritizes harmony and teamwork, emphasizing community, passion, and care, thereby connecting directly with the grassroots. As the first woman with an opportunity to become the nation’s president, she embodies the hopes of some women who desire a change from the patriarchal society. Nevertheless, Nandi-Ndaitwah represents the “tried and trusted” traditional approach of Namibia’s liberation struggle, while Itula symbolizes a potential “wind of change” in a political landscape perceived as needing modernization. Political analyst Henning Melber suggests that the close rivalry between the two leading candidates could result in an unprecedented second-round run-off in the presidential election, a requirement if no candidate secures more than half of the votes cast. In neighboring South Africa, the African National Congress (ANC), which has governed since 1994, was compelled to form a coalition following the general election in May. Concurrently, in Botswana, situated to the east, the Botswana Democratic Party, dominant for nearly six decades, experienced a significant defeat at the end of last month. Swapo aims to avoid a similar outcome. The successful candidate on Wednesday will be the one perceived as most trustworthy on issues such as youth unemployment, corruption, healthcare, education, and infrastructure improvement, while also demonstrating the ability to bolster the economy. This must be accomplished without divesting the country’s extensive natural resources, such as offshore gas, lithium, and other essential metals, to foreign bidders. Itula’s IPC did not participate in the 2019 elections but has performed strongly in local elections since then, presenting itself as a credible political alternative. The party has received commendation for its administration of certain local governments. Nandi-Ndaitwah’s most significant asset may be that she is perceived as “incorruptible, both morally and materially,” as once stated by Namibian diplomat Tuliameni Kalomoh.