Namibia’s Vice President, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, stands on the brink of making history as she vies to become the country’s first female president in Wednesday’s presidential election.
Approximately 1.4 million Namibians, representing nearly half the population, have registered to vote. The elections feature 15 political parties competing for the presidency and seats in the National Assembly.
Early results from special polls for Namibia’s foreign missions, seamen, and security services, announced by the Electoral Commission of Namibia, indicate that Nandi-Ndaitwah and her party, the South West Africa People’s Organisation (SWAPO), are leading the race. SWAPO has governed Namibia since its independence from South Africa’s apartheid regime in 1990.
However, SWAPO’s dominance has waned in recent years. In 2019, the party lost its two-thirds majority in the National Assembly for the first time since 1994. This decline has been linked to corruption and money laundering allegations involving the fishing industry, which led to the arrests of two cabinet ministers and the conviction of associated businessmen.
Henning Melber, a political analyst and professor at the University of Pretoria and the University of the Free State, views the 2019 results as a cautionary signal for SWAPO. While the party appears favoured to win, Melber emphasised that SWAPO must secure the support of younger voters, who are less connected to the party’s liberation struggle legacy.
“It looks like there is no way back to regain such dominance. The process of erosion of legitimacy as a former liberation movement has advanced too much,” he said.
Melber highlighted the importance of the “born-frees” — Namibians born after independence — who are expected to vote based on governance and delivery rather than historical sentiments.
At 72, Nandi-Ndaitwah has pledged to address youth unemployment, currently at 20%, by creating over 500,000 jobs within five years, backed by a proposed investment of 85 billion Namibian dollars ($4.7 billion). Critics, however, question the feasibility of these plans.
Issues such as reproductive rights, equal pay, and healthcare for women are also expected to influence voters. If elected, Nandi-Ndaitwah would join the ranks of trailblazing African female leaders, including Liberia’s Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Malawi’s Joyce Banda, and Samba Pranza of the Central African Republic.
Erika Thomas, a political science lecturer at the University of Namibia, outlined key expectations for Nandi-Ndaitwah if she secures the presidency.
“She must strive to be independent, transparent and accountable. She must also try to push for policies and legislation frameworks for women participation and to bring more women into the political structures,” Thomas said.
SWAPO faces stiff competition from the Independent Patriots for Change, led by former dentist Panduleni Itula, and the Affirmative Repositioning party, helmed by university professor Job Amupanda.
As political campaigns wrapped up this past weekend, Namibia’s election takes place in the context of significant political shifts across southern Africa. This year, South Africa’s African National Congress lost its 30-year parliamentary majority, while Botswana’s Democratic Party was unseated after 58 years in power.
