Namibia’s Vice President Could Make History as First Female President
Namibia’s Vice President, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, could become the country’s first female president if she wins the upcoming presidential election on Wednesday. Around 1.4 million people—approximately half the population—have registered to vote, with 15 political parties vying for the presidency and National Assembly seats.
Early results from special polls for Namibia’s foreign missions, seamen, and security services, released this month by the Electoral Commission of Namibia, show that Nandi-Ndaitwah and her party, the South West Africa People’s Organization (SWAPO), are leading the race.
SWAPO has governed Namibia since the country gained independence from South Africa’s apartheid regime in 1990. However, the party lost its two-thirds majority in the National Assembly for the first time in 2019, a blow largely attributed to corruption and money laundering scandals in Namibia’s fishing industry, which led to arrests and convictions of key ministers and businessmen.
Political analyst Henning Melber, a professor at the University of Pretoria and University of the Free State, cautioned that SWAPO and Nandi-Ndaitwah must heed the 2019 election results, despite their apparent lead in the current race. He noted that SWAPO faces the challenge of attracting younger voters, who may not feel the same emotional connection to the party’s liberation history as older generations.
Melber pointed out that “born-frees”—those born after the country’s liberation—are more likely to vote based on policy delivery and governance rather than historical sentiments. “The process of erosion of legitimacy as a former liberation movement has advanced too much,” he said.
Nandi-Ndaitwah, 72, has promised to tackle high youth unemployment, which stands at 20%, by creating more than 500,000 jobs over the next five years, backed by a $4.7 billion investment. However, critics argue that her goals may be unrealistic. Issues affecting women, such as reproductive rights, equal pay, and healthcare, are also expected to be key topics for voters.
Should she win, Nandi-Ndaitwah would join the ranks of other pioneering female African leaders, such as 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, emphasized that Nandi-Ndaitwah would need to demonstrate independence, transparency, and accountability if elected. “She must also push for policies that increase women’s participation in political structures,” Thomas added.
Nandi-Ndaitwah’s main competition will come from the Independent Patriots for Change, led by former dentist Panduleni Itula, and university professor Job Amupanda’s Affirmative Repositioning party.
As the election campaigns wrapped up this weekend, political analysts pointed to significant changes across southern Africa this year. The ANC in South Africa lost its 30-year parliamentary majority, Botswana’s ruling party was unseated after 58 years in power, and the opposition in Mauritius claimed a landslide victory. Meanwhile, protests continue in Mozambique over disputed election results, leading to at least 30 deaths.