Ester Mbathera
Congratulatory messages have started to pour in for Swapo’s presidential candidate, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, who was leading the polls in the presidential race with 249 158 votes by 19h00 on Monday.
The closest contender, Panduleni Itula had 126 935 votes.
The messages are coming from liberation movements and women’s organisations from the African continent before the final election results have been officially declared.
The president of the Socialist Party in Zambia, Fred M’membe, used his X account to congratulate Nandi-Ndaitwah.
“The Namibian people have voted, and congratulations are due to you, Comrade President-elect Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah. Your remarkable victory symbolises hope for Namibia’s future,” he said.
M’membe wished Nandi-Ndaitwah the courage and determination to navigate the challenges ahead.
“We look forward to enhancing our people’s long and cherished historical bonds,” said M’membe.
African Canadian Heritage Association (ACHA) congratulated Namibia for electing its first female president.
“Congratulations to Namibia, SWAPO, and Comrade President-elect Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah on a historic and resounding victory! This triumph silences regime-change agents, defeats misogyny, and upholds the will of the Namibian people,” said the ACHCHA Africa.
“We would like to congratulate @VPSWAPO Ndemupelila Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, former 3rd Vice President and Minister for International Relations of Namibia, for her election as President of Namibia. Congratulations to the people of Namibia. Africa gets another female president,” said the Centre for International Policy.
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia was the first elected female head of state in Africa.
She served as the 24th president of Liberia from 2006 to 2018.
The congratulatory message started coming in while many people as well as political parties are disputing the administration of the election.
There have been calls for an election rerun, which the Electoral Commission of Namibia’s (ECN) chairperson, Elsie Nghikembua said will not be considered.
“We are not announcing the results of re-running the elections, and therefore, we are not thinking of financials on re-running,” Nghikembua said.
Meanwhile, the chairperson of the coalition opposition parties that are rallying behind the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) ’s urgent application in challenging the 2024 elections, McHenry Venaani, said the ECN is not impartial.
“The ECN has shown colours of partiality even when they allowed the secretary general of Swapo to sit in while they consulted the president. These are tactics designed strategically to suppress voters in the country. They are being very deliberate. We appointed incompetence, and now we are getting the results,” Venaani said.
