Namibia’s ruling SWAPO party was declared the winner of last week’s disputed elections, securing the presidency for Vice-President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah.
The victory, announced on Tuesday, marks a historic moment as the 72-year-old becomes the first woman to lead the mineral-rich southern African nation. However, the election results have been rejected by the main opposition party, the Independent Patriots for Change, which alleges widespread irregularities.
According to the Electoral Commission of Namibia, Nandi-Ndaitwah garnered just over 57 percent of the votes, while Panduleni Itula, the IPC’s presidential candidate, received 25.5 percent. The election tested SWAPO’s 34-year hold on power, with younger voters expressing frustration over unemployment and inequality, despite the party’s liberation-era legacy.
Voting Delays and Opposition Rejection
The November 27 election was extended to November 30 due to logistical and technical challenges, including a shortage of ballot papers and overheating electronic tablets used for voter registration. These issues caused long queues, with some voters waiting up to 12 hours or abandoning the process altogether.
The IPC condemned these delays as deliberate attempts to disenfranchise voters. “The IPC shall not recognise the outcome of that election,” Itula declared on Saturday, the final day of voting. He cited a “multitude of irregularities” and vowed to seek nullification through Namibia’s electoral processes. Following the announcement of SWAPO’s victory, IPC spokesperson Imms Nashinge reaffirmed the party’s rejection of the results.
Despite rejecting the election outcome, Itula urged calm among his supporters. “Stand firm to ensure that we shall not be robbed neither denied our democratic right to choose our leaders,” he said.
An organisation of southern African human rights lawyers, which monitored the election, also criticised the delays, describing them as intentional and widespread. The ECN admitted to several organisational failures, including a shortage of ballot papers, but maintained that 77 percent of Namibia’s nearly 1.5 million registered voters participated in the presidential election.
SWAPO’s Victory Amid Challenges
SWAPO also retained its dominance in the national assembly elections, winning 51 seats compared to 20 for the IPC. However, this was a reduction from the party’s previous tally of 63 seats. ECN chairperson Elsie Nghikembua called for national unity, saying, “Fellow Namibians, elections are competitive by nature, but democracy calls upon us to unite once the votes have been counted. I urge all Namibians to embrace the results with the spirit of unity, diversity, understanding, and reconciliation.”
Nandi-Ndaitwah, a veteran SWAPO figure affectionately known as NNN, campaigned on promises to create jobs and attract investments using “economic diplomacy.” A conservative Anglican pastor’s daughter, she has been active in SWAPO for decades and became vice-president in February 2024. Known for her gold-framed glasses and party-coloured outfits of blue, red, and green, Nandi-Ndaitwah sought to present herself as a symbol of wisdom and experience.
Broader Implications for Namibia
Namibia’s election comes amid growing dissatisfaction with liberation-era parties in the region. Last month, Botswana’s long-dominant Botswana Democratic Party was ousted from power after nearly six decades, raising questions about SWAPO’s future.
Namibia, a leading exporter of uranium and diamonds, has faced criticism for failing to translate its mineral wealth into tangible benefits for its nearly three million citizens. Youth unemployment, estimated at 46 percent for those aged 15 to 34, remains a critical issue, nearly triple the national average.
