Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah is now Namibia’s fifth president – making historical past because the nation’s first lady to carry this place.

Although Nandi-Ndaitwah achieved this historic victory, her social gathering, the ruling Swapo Party of Namibia (Swapo), has recorded its worst efficiency since independence, with its help dropping from 65% to only below 51%.

The Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) introduced Nandi-Ndaitwah’s victory.

She had at the least 57% (638 560) of the vote final evening, whereas her competitors, the Independent Patriots for Change’s Panduleni Itula, was caught at 26% (284 186).

She promised to fulfil the guarantees she made.

More than a million Namibians voted on this 12 months’s presidential and National Assembly elections, with a turnout of 74.21%, in response to the ECN.

This is out of a complete of 1 449 569 registered voters in 121 constituencies throughout the nation.

CONTROVERSY

While some view Nandi-Ndaitwah’s victory as a historic milestone, others argue the second has been overshadowed by controversy.

The disputed 2024 elections, marked by allegations of widespread irregularities, are anticipated to face authorized challenges within the courts.

While recognising the irregularities, political analyst Rakkel Andreas yesterday argued that the trajectory seemed clear that Nandi-Ndaitwah was the “superior” candidate.

“And also just looking at her profile, what she stands for and her public utterances. She, by all standards, appeared as the more popular candidate, even more popular than the late Hage Geingob,” Andreas stated.

She stated Nandi-Ndaitwah loved outdoors social gathering help due to her public and overseas coverage stances.

“So it was always obvious, at least from my perspective, that she was going to emerge the winner,” Andreas stated.

The analyst stated there have been, nevertheless, systemic and procedural points throughout the elections.

“Starting from the deregistration of two political parties, right up to where we saw ballot shortages, a poor distribution plan, delays, long queues and the list goes on,” she stated.

Andreas believes these points should be resolved in courtroom of legislation.

RISE TO POWER

Nandi-Ndaitwah’s rise to energy has been a long time within the making. Her journey has featured wins and losses.

After independence, she steadily climbed the ranks within the authorities. She claimed victories with better authorized protections for ladies and kids, and earned accolades for her function as atmosphere minister.

Her ascent was, nevertheless, removed from assured.

The president-elect has been on the perimeter of Swapo politics. At some level, she was linked to the breakaway Rally for Democracy and Progress.

After the 2012 Swapo congress, she appeared poised to develop into Namibia’s first feminine vp – a part of a deal brokered to win former president Hifikepunye Pohamba’s help for Geingob’s Presidency.

When Geingob reneged, her supporters rallied and pushed Geingob to mix the deputy prime minister and worldwide relations portfolios.

Nandi-Ndaitwah wasn’t even current when Geingob introduced his first Cabinet – feeding hypothesis she was planning to snub him if he have been to nominate her solely as deputy prime minister.

Her actual rise to political energy got here at round 2017 when she was named as president Hage Geingob’s vice presidential candidate for the ruling social gathering.

She was confirmed as social gathering vp in 2022, regardless of a scarcity of endorsement from Geingob, who favoured different candidates.

BAPTISM OF FIRE

Ndemupelila Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah was born on 29 October 1952 to Justina Nekoto Shaduka-Nandi and Petrus Nandi at Onamutai in northern Namibia.

She was the ninth of 13 kids. Her father was an Anglican clergyman, and he or she attended the well-known St Mary’s Mission School at Odibo.
She later taught on the faculty, simply earlier than going into exile.

“Growing up, political activities were also not very far from me,” she instructed the Swapo Today publication two years in the past. “I could see Swapo activities being organised by the likes of Kaxumba Kandola. They would come near our house to hold meetings, because there were big trees for shade,” she stated.

PRISON BIRTHDAY

Nandi-Ndaitwah spent her twenty first birthday in jail. Her crime was protesting a spate of arrests of Swapo leaders.

She and her comrades have been imprisoned from August to December 1973.

When they have been launched, many have been sentenced to public flogging. She didn’t face the whip herself, however quickly fled the nation to hitch the wrestle in exile.

When pressured to witness such cruelty, some individuals get hardened and vengeful. But Nandi-Ndaitwah took a special path, becoming a member of Swapo’s diplomatic efforts.

And earlier than becoming a member of the wrestle for independence, she teamed up with bishop Leonard Auala and reverend Richard Wood of their efforts to ban flogging all through Namibia.

It’s not that she was against violence as a technique within the wrestle.

In 1983, whereas primarily based in Tanzania, she married Epaphras Denga Ndaitwah, then a number one determine in Swapo’s navy wing, the People’s Liberation Army of Namibia (Plan).

He finally served two years as Namibia’s defence chief till his retirement in 2013.

Nandi-Ndaitwah’s experiences gave her resolve. Swapo leaders recall that Julius Nyerere praised her steadfastness in arguing Namibia’s case for freedom.

Pohamba supported her social gathering’s candidacy.

At the time of her rise to vp at social gathering degree, Nandi-Ndaitwah’s supporters have been adamant that she was the automated option to succeed Geingob as a result of social gathering’s custom of permitting the social gathering vp to take over from the incumbent.

Some Geingob supporters have rejected this custom.

Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) director Graham Hopwood earlier instructed The Namibian that Nandi-Ndaitwah was all the time the front-runner to develop into Swapo’s presidential candidate.

“This is mainly because of her seniority in Swapo and the respect she commands across various parts of the ruling party,” he instructed The Namibian in 2022.

He added: “She is on the cusp of being seen as too old for a presidential role – particularly in a country made up largely of young people. But this is probably not a major concern for Swapo.”

“She is also accustomed to being on the world stage, having been foreign minister for several years. On the downside, she may have some president Pohamba-like tendencies – as a respectable but largely unenergetic figure without the political vigour needed to take on Namibia’s severe socio-economic challenges.”

LEGITIMACY

Political scientist Rui Tyitende questions whether or not Nandi-Ndaitwah could be a reliable president within the eyes of the numerous Namibians who have been unable to vote and those that suppose the election course of was not free and truthful.

“If she was a leader, knowing what has transpired before the elections, she would have either made a statement herself to say ‘look, despite the fact that I would want to be president of this country, despite the fact that I would want to be the first female president of this country to inspire young girls and young women, I would have wanted it to be done within the confines of the law’,” he says.

He says not all Namibians who have been unable to vote throughout the nation got a second alternative to vote – whether or not the election extension was authorized or not.

“In different phrases, no voter who needed to forged their vote on 27 November ought to have been turned away on account of the incompetence and ill-preparedness of the ECN.

“Therefore, is it possible to restart this process? Or [should] serious reforms take place?” he suggests.

Tyitende says legitimacy is crucial in politics.

“You do not want to address the Namibian public, especially those who did not vote for you to think of you as being illegitimate. We do not want to be the next Zimbabwe,” he says.

LEADERSHIP INTEGRITY

Social and gender equality activist Rosa Namises has weighed in on the discourse surrounding ladies’s management and integrity in public workplace.

“I support women’s empowerment. I believe whether the candidate is a man or a woman, we must carry ourselves with dignity, honesty and transparency when taking up leadership positions. When a woman becomes president, she should be proud to serve all of us with integrity,” she says.

Namises expresses concern over the latest electoral course of, highlighting a number of irregularities.

She urges corrective measures to revive public confidence within the course of.

WOMEN EMPOWERMENT

Human rights activist Linda Baumann yesterday stated Namibia has skilled a historic election in a 12 months that underscores the significance of gender equality that marks a major second for Namibia.

“We are on the verge of potentially becoming another African country to have a woman president – an achievement that would resonate deeply on the continent. My initial commitment was to vote for a woman candidate – not based on party affiliation, but on the symbolic and practical impact of supporting women in leadership. I believe many other women share this sentiment,” she stated.

She stated Namibia should strategy the election outcomes with unity and detach the narrative of social gathering politics from the potential milestone of getting a girl president.

“If this outcome is achieved, it will signify not only progress in gender equality, but also the maturation of our democracy. This year could celebrate the impact of gender equity initiatives, such as the parliament’s 50-50 representation policy, demonstrating the role of women in promoting good governance, transparency, and accountability,” she stated.

According to Baumann, the election course of has been deeply disappointing.

“In previous elections, we have been glued to our televisions, eagerly awaiting outcomes. Today, that enthusiasm has been changed by disinterest and distrust, fuelled by misinformation and the ECN’s obvious incapacity to supply clear and well timed updates.

“The issue isn’t just about the Electoral Act itself, but its application. Namibians deserve an electoral process that inspires trust, fairness and transparency. The ECN’s inability to deliver on these principles calls for serious scrutiny. It is imperative that we continue to question their responsibility and hold them accountable,” she stated.

Baumann stated going ahead, there needs to be a extra dependable democratic course of.

“This election represents a pivotal moment for Namibia, and we must not allow systemic inefficiencies or incompetence to undermine its significance.”

Veteran journalist Gwen Lister yesterday stated the election of a girl president is historic, near the thirty fifth anniversary of Namibian independence in 2025.

“That she will face daunting challenges in this new role is a certainty. Not least of all the need to tackle the most burning issue of spiralling unemployment, especially among the youth, rising levels of corruption, and not least of all, being a woman herself, the scourge of gender-based violence,” she stated.

“Aside from the disorganisation on the a part of the ECN it will seem that the proportion ballot will likely be greater than is common in Namibian elections, in all probability surpassing the 60% of the 2019 presidential and National Assembly elections.

“What is clear even earlier than the ultimate outcomes are out is that there was a change vote taking place – with new youngsters on the block Independent Patriots for Change prone to develop into the brand new opposition to the ruling social gathering, and the youth-driven Affirmative Repositioning additionally taking a number of seats in parliament.

“It remains to be seen whether any court challenge will be successful in setting aside the results of this election.”