Namibia votes for president
WINDHOEK, Namibia—A 72-year-old woman who joined Namibia’s independence movement in the 1970s is a strong contender to become its first female leader as the country votes in a presidential election on Wednesday.
Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah is the current vice president and the ruling Swapo party’s candidate for president and leads after the results of special early voting among citizens overseas and the armed forces were announced earlier this month.
But Swapo, which has governed the southern African country and held the presidency for 34 years since independence from apartheid South Africa in 1990, faces growing frustration caused by high unemployment and economic hardship, especially among young people.
That is a common theme that has led to momentous election upsets in other countries in the region this year.
In neighboring South Africa, the African National Congress that ruled for three decades lost its majority in a landmark election result in June.
Botswana’s ruling party lost in a landslide last month after 58 years in power, and Mauritius delivered a surprising heavy defeat for its incumbent party this month.
Mozambique’s long-ruling Frelimo party was declared the winner in an election there in October, prompting violent and ongoing protests and claims of vote rigging.
About 1.4 million people—approximately half the Namibian population—are registered to vote to decide the president and the makeup of Parliament.
