Namibia’s ruling party headed for win after disputed vote

Namibia’s ruling party appeared set for election victory with more than 90 percent of votes counted Tuesday, lining the southern African country up for its first woman president after a disputed vote that the main opposition has rejected as a sham.
Vice President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah from the SWAPO party that has led the mineral-rich nation since independence 34 years ago has won more than 58 percent in last week’s vote, according to the electoral commission tally of nearly 92 percent of ballots.
The leader of the main opposition Independent Patriots for Change (IPC), Panduleni Itula, was well behind with just over 25 percent, it said.
The November 27 election was extended twice as logistical and technical problems, including a shortage of ballot papers, led to long queues.
Some voters gave up on the first day of voting after waiting for up to 12 hours.
The strong showing for Nandi-Ndaitwah, 72, means she could avoid a second-round run-off to become the first woman to rule the sparsely populated, arid country of around three million people.
Itula, 67, has said there were a “multitude of irregularities” and no matter the result, “the IPC shall not recognise the outcome of that election”.
“The rule of law has been grossly violated and we cannot call these elections by any means or measure as free, fair and legitimate,” Itula said on Saturday, the last day of the extended vote.
Of the nearly 1.5 million registered voters, 76 percent had cast ballots, the commission said in its updated figures Tuesday.
The South West Africa People’s Organisation (SWAPO) has governed since leading Namibia to independence from apartheid South Africa in 1990.
But high youth unemployment and enduring inequalities have disenchanted younger voters.