Namibia elected its first woman president with Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah winning last week’s presidential elections disputed by technical and logistical issues in the country.
- The 72-year-old and current vice-president of the country won with 57 per cent of the votes, thereby extending the ruling South West Africa People’s Organisation (Swapo) party’s grip on power since independence from South Africa in 1990.
She said after the final results were announced late on Tuesday that the Namibian nation has voted for peace and stability.
Her victory defied predictions that she might be forced into a run-off after opposition parties rejected the results when polling had to be extended for three days in some parts of the country following technical and logistical problems.
Meanwhile, her closest rival, Panduleni Itula, who got 26 per cent of the votes, had alleged electoral malpractice.