Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah is Namibia First Female President
The latest news now is that the Namibia’s ruling SWAPO party was declared winner Tuesday of last week’s disputed elections, ushering in the southern African country’s first woman president after a disputed vote that the main opposition has already said it does not recognise.
Ejes Gist News reports that, the November 27 election encountered several logistical and technical issues. These included a shortage of ballot papers, which resulted in long queues and extended voting hours.
Nandi-Ndaitwah won by securing just over 57 percent of the votes, while the main opposition candidate from the Independent Patriots for Change got 25.5 percent. The victory has been rejected by the IPC, citing massive irregularities and that the process was deliberately made frustrating for voters.
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The Electoral Commission of Namibia also conceded that there were challenges, which included ballot paper shortages and technical problems related to the electronic tablets used for voter registration. Close to 77 percent of the 1.5 million registered voters took part in the election.
Nandi-Ndaitwah, 72, long a member of SWAPO, becomes the first woman to lead the mineral-rich country, which has been governed by SWAPO since its independence in 1990. Known for her gold-framed glasses and often seen in the colors of her party and the national flag, she has promised to create jobs by attracting investments through economic diplomacy.
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The election was considered an important test for SWAPO after other liberation-era movements in the region lost favor with younger voters. Namibia, a significant exporter of uranium and diamonds, faces enormous challenges, among them a high unemployment rate among the youth.
The presidency of Nandi-Ndaitwah is a feat for Namibia, adding her to the list of the few women leaders on the African continent. She was appointed vice president in February this year and is known for her conservative background; she is the daughter of an Anglican pastor.
