Politics

Namibia elects Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah as first woman president

Published

1 year ago

December 4, 2024

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, the current vice-president of the country, won with 57 per cent of the vote, extending the ruling South West Africa People’s Organisation (Swapo) party’s grip on power since independence from South Africa in 1990.

“The Namibian nation has voted for peace and stability,” Ms Nandi-Ndaitwah said after the final results were announced late on Tuesday.

Her victory defied predictions that she might be forced into a run-off after opposition parties rejected the results after polling had to be extended for three days in some parts of the country following technical and logistical problems.

Her closest rival Panduleni Itula, who got 26 per cent of the votes, had alleged electoral malpractice.

The polling was scheduled to conclude last Wednesday but had to be extended till Saturday in some parts after polling booths suffered shortages of ballot papers and other issues.

The opposition parties said the extension was illegal and boycotted the results announcement on Tuesday, saying that they will challenge the results in court.

Ms Nandi-Ndaitwah is known as a dedicated Swapo loyalist who joined the party at the age of 14 and was part of an underground independence movement against South African rule in Namibia in the 1970s which was responsible for the implementation of apartheid.

Her leadership in Swapo’s Youth League laid the foundation for her political rise, eventually earning her ministerial positions in foreign affairs, tourism, child welfare, and information.

She was promoted to vice president in February after president Hage Geingob died while in office and will become the fifth president of Namibia after independence.

Her victory as the first female president of Namibia adds her to the exclusive club with Tanzania’s president Samia Suluhu Hassan. She, however, took office through constitutional succession and not a popular vote.

“Swapo Wins. Netumbo Wins. Namibia Wins. Now Hard Work,” the ruling party posted on its official account on social media site X.

Mr Itula, of the Independent Patriots for Change opposition party, won the second-largest number of seats in parliament behind Swapo.

The Independent Patriots for Change have led the criticism of the vote and pledged to lodge a challenge in court, calling the three-day extension for voting unconstitutional.

Swapo maintained a grip on power in Namibian politics for nearly three decades. However, its popularity came under question in the 2019 election when it lost its two-thirds majority, reducing its vote share to 56 per cent from 87 per cent.

It faced challenges of growing unemployment, allegations of corruption on high ranking officials of Swapo and high levels of inequality.

This year in May, South Africa’s African National Congress lost its majority in parliament for the first time since the end of apartheid. The Botswana Democratic Party was also booted out of power after ruling since independence from Britain in 1966.

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Politics

How Buhari shocked me 6 months into his administration – Oyegun

Published

5 minutes ago

February 7, 2026

Ekwutos Blog

Chairman, Policy Manifesto Committee of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, John Odigie-Oyegun, says former president Muhammadu Buhari gave him the shock of his life, six months into his administration as Nigeria’s leader.

Oyegun made this disclosure on Friday when he featured in an interview on Arise Television’s ‘Prime Time’.

He revealed that as National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, he went to tell Buhari that he was not delivering his election promises to Nigerians but that the late president told him he would not rule with strictness, but rather wanted to show Nigerians that he is a true civilian president.

The former APC National Chairman lamented that it became business as usual, from there.

“I was national chairman of the APC. Six months or less into our assuming office, fairly alarmed, I went to the late President Buhari for a one-on-one talk. I said Mr President, this is not what the people were expecting. They wanted a bit of the old president Buhari.

“And he explained to me, Mr Chairman, I have learned my lesson. I was shocked. And don’t forget at that time, a lot of prominent Nigerians took their holidays abroad, just to be sure and see what this new sheriff in town will be.

“Buhari told me he wants to now show the people that he’s a true civilian president in Agbada. And by the time we finished the conversation, I said Oh God, we are finished. Because, if he’s not ready to be strict, what’s the point?

“Weeks later, months later, years later, I was proven correct. And of course, it became business as usual, only that they are a new set of tenants in Aso Rock. That was a shocker,” he said.

Politics

Electoral Reform: Dino alleges senate’s plot to rig 2027 election

Published

22 hours ago

February 6, 2026

Ekwutos Blog

Former lawmaker, Dino Melaye Esq, has raised concerns over the Senate’s reported rejection of the electronic transmission of election results.

The move, according to Melaye, is a clear endorsement of election rigging and an indication of a sinister plan to rig the 2027 elections.

In a statement on Friday, the former lawmaker criticized the Senate’s decision, stating that it undermines the credibility of the electoral process.

The African Democratic Congress, ADC chieftain, also stated that the move opens the door for electoral manipulation and fraud.

He further warned that the rejection of electronic transmission of results is a step backwards for democracy in Nigeria.

Melaye called on lawmakers and citizens to stand up against “this blatant attempt to undermine the will of the people and ensure that future elections are free, fair, and transparent”.

Politics

Electoral Act: Nigerians have every reason to be mad at Senate – Ezekwesili

Published

1 day ago

February 6, 2026

Ekwutos Blog

Former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili, has said Nigerians have every reason to be mad at the Senate over the ongoing debate on e-transmission of election results.

Ezekwesili made this known on Friday when she featured in an interview on Arise Television’s ‘Morning Show’ monitored by DAILY POST.

DAILY POST reports that the Senate on Wednesday turned down a proposed change to Clause 60, Subsection 3, of the Electoral Amendment Bill that aimed to compel the electronic transmission of election results.

Reacting to the matter, Ezekwesili said, “The fundamental issue with the review of the Electoral Act is that the Senate retained the INEC 2022 Act, Section 60 Sub 5.

“This section became infamous for the loophole it provided INEC, causing Nigerians to lose trust. Since the law established that it wasn’t mandatory for INEC to transmit electoral results in real-time, there wasn’t much anyone could say.

“Citizens embraced the opportunity to reform the INEC Act, aiming to address ambiguity and discretionary opportunities for INEC. Yet, the Senate handled it with a “let sleeping dogs lie” approach. The citizens have every reason to be as outraged as they currently are.”