Namibia has made history by electing its first female president, Vice-President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, following a contentious and disputed election.
At 72 years old, Nandi-Ndaitwah becomes the first woman to lead the country, which has been governed by the South West Africa People’s Organisation (SWAPO) since its independence in 1990.
The Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) confirmed her victory with over 57% of the vote.
The main opposition candidate, Panduleni Itula from the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC), secured second place with 25.5%.
However, the election process was marred by significant challenges, including two extensions due to logistical and technical issues such as ballot paper shortages and lengthy queues.
Some voters waited for up to 12 hours, with many giving up on the first day of voting.
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The IPC has voiced strong opposition to the results, accusing the electoral authorities of intentionally causing delays to hinder voter turnout.
Itula cited widespread irregularities and declared that the IPC would not recognize the election results, vowing to challenge the outcome through the appropriate legal channels.
An election monitoring group of Southern African human rights lawyers also pointed to the intentional nature of the delays.
The ECN acknowledged several shortcomings in the election process, including a shortage of ballot papers and malfunctioning electronic tablets used for voter registration.
