The candidate for the SWAPO Party of Namibia, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah won the country’s Presidential elections on 3 December. While this could make her the country’s first female President after her inauguration on 21 March, the country’s opposition is leading calls for a fresh round of elections.
According to the electoral commission, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah took more than 57% of the vote, while her main opposition rival Panduleni Itulal captured 26%.
The leader of the Independant Patriots for Change, labelled the elections “chaotic”, citing a lack of ballot papers and technical issues. A three-day extension of polling in some parts of the country was also implemented.
Panduleni Itulal called on the judiciary to annul the results, inciting opposition parties and citizens to work together against what he said was a “suppression of the right to vote.”
The SWAPO Party of Namibia led the liberation struggle against apartheid South Africa and has been in power since the country gained independance in 1990.
With a population of around 3 million people, only around half of Namibians are registered to vote.
The opposition has until the Presidential inauguration in March to present arguments for a fresh round of elections.
Source: Africanews
