Windhoek (Kaab TV) – Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, from the governing South West Africa People’s Organisation (Swapo), has been elected Namibia’s first female president following last week’s disputed election.
The Electoral Commission reported that she secured more than 57% of the vote, while her closest rival, Panduleni Itula, received 26%.
Itula, citing logistical issues and a three-day extension to polling in some parts of the country, described the electoral process as “deeply flawed.”
His party, the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC), announced it would challenge the results in court. Several opposition parties also boycotted the results announcement on Tuesday evening in the capital, Windhoek, according to the Namibian newspaper.
Despite the controversy, Windhoek remained calm on Wednesday, with neither celebrations nor protests, as people went about their daily lives.
Peace and stability
After the announcement of her victory, Nandi-Ndaitwah declared: “The Namibian nation has voted for peace and stability.”
Swapo has been in power in Namibia since the country’s independence in 1990.
Nandi-Ndaitwah, a party stalwart who currently serves as vice president, has been a trusted leader in government for over 25 years.
South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa congratulated Nandi-Ndaitwah on X, calling her election “a testament to democracy and its ability to transform our societies.”
Once sworn in, Nandi-Ndaitwah will join an exclusive group of female heads of state, with Tanzania’s Samia Suluhu Hassan currently the only other woman president in Africa.
In the simultaneous parliamentary elections, Swapo narrowly retained its majority, winning 51 of the 96 elected seats—losing 12 compared to the last election.
The IPC secured 20 seats and will serve as the official opposition. Political journalist Tirivangani Masawi described this as Swapo’s “worst performance since independence.”
Itula, a trained dentist, has become a more prominent figure in Namibian politics, significantly reducing Swapo’s vote share in the 2019 election from 87% to 56%.
The IPC has vowed to “pursue justice through the courts” and encouraged those who faced voting difficulties due to mismanagement to report to the police.
Allegations of fraud
The IPC criticized the Electoral Commission for the “organizational mess,” citing issues such as a shortage of ballot papers and broken scanners at several polling stations.
The commission admitted to failures but denied any allegations of fraud. Elsie Nghikembua, the commission chairperson, urged Namibians to accept the results with “unity, diversity, understanding, and reconciliation.”
Swapo, which led the fight for independence against apartheid South Africa, has been in power since Namibia’s liberation.
Ahead of the election, there was speculation that the party might face the same fate as other regional liberation movements.
For example, South Africa’s African National Congress lost its parliamentary majority earlier this year, and Botswana’s ruling party was ousted after nearly six decades in power.
Nandi-Ndaitwah’s victory marks another milestone in a remarkable life.
Born in 1952 in Onamutai, in northern Namibia, she was one of 13 children in a family of an Anglican clergyman.
At 14, she joined Swapo, then a liberation movement resisting South Africa’s apartheid rule.
A passionate activist, she rose to become a leader of Swapo’s Youth League, setting the stage for her political career.
After being arrested and detained as a student for her activism, Nandi-Ndaitwah went into exile, organizing with Swapo members in Zambia, Tanzania, and later the UK, where she earned a degree in International Relations.
Combating of Domestic Violence
Following Namibia’s independence in 1988, she returned home and joined the post-independence government, serving in various ministerial roles including foreign affairs, tourism, and child welfare.
Known for advocating women’s rights, Nandi-Ndaitwah championed the Combating of Domestic Violence Act in 2002, challenging male colleagues who tried to ridicule the draft law.
Her rise in Namibia’s traditionally male-dominated political culture culminated in her appointment as vice president in February of this year, succeeding Nangolo Mbumba after the death of then-President Hage Geingob.
Nandi-Ndaitwah, who is married to Epaphras Denga Ndaitwah, a former chief of Namibia’s defense forces, has three sons.
Throughout her career, she has been known for her hands-on, pragmatic leadership style.
“I am an implementer, not a storyteller,” she once declared in a speech.
As she prepares to take office, Nandi-Ndaitwah remains committed to leading Namibia through its economic transformation and ensuring peace and stability for its citizens.