Namibians are holding elections to choose a new president and parliament. The country’s vice-president, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah from the ruling SWAPO party, is considered the frontrunner for the presidency. The election comes amidst challenges such as high rates of youth unemployment, which the SWAPO party has promised to address.
Namibia is holding elections to choose a new president and parliament. The country’s vice-president, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah from the ruling SWAPO party, is considered the frontrunner for the presidency.
The SWAPO party has been in power since Namibia gained independence in 1990, but its support has been declining. In the 2019 presidential election, the party received 56% of the vote, down from nearly 87% in 2014.
Panduleni Itula, a 67-year-old former dentist and lawyer from the opposition Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) party, is also running for president. He gained 29% of the presidential vote as an independent candidate in the 2019 elections and is popular among younger Namibians.
Around 1.4 million people, roughly half of the country’s population, are eligible to vote in these elections. The voting process began at 7 a.m. local time and will close at 9 p.m., with results expected by the weekend.
The election is taking place amidst challenges such as high rates of youth unemployment, which the SWAPO party has promised to address along with investment in green energy, agriculture, and infrastructure. Some political commentators believe that a second round of voting may be necessary if no candidate secures more than half of the total votes in the first round.
Voters are casting ballots to elect a new president and parliament in polls that could result in the country’s first female head of state being elected. The SWAPO party’s Vice-President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah is considered the frontrunner, promising to tackle high rates of youth unemployment, investment in green energy, agriculture, and infrastructure.
Also in the running for the presidency is 67-year-old former dentist and lawyer Panduleni Itula from the opposition Independent Patriots for Change (IPC). He garnered 29% of the presidential vote as an independent candidate in the 2019 elections and is a popular choice among younger Namibians.
Voting began at 7 a.m. local time, with polling stations shutting their doors at 9 p.m. local time. Results are expected by the weekend, and if a second round is required, it will take place within 60 days of the announcement of the first-round results.
