Preliminary results from Namibia’s presidential and parliamentary elections show the ruling South West African People’s Organisation (Swapo) in the lead, though with significantly reduced support compared to the 2019 elections, according to unofficial tallies.
By mid-afternoon Friday, Swapo had secured 48% of the votes counted, with the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) trailing at 20% and the Landless People’s Movement at 10%, as per early results published by the Namvotes24 website.
In the presidential race, Swapo’s candidate Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, currently the deputy president, garnered 53% of the 126,206 ballots counted so far. Her closest rival, IPC founder Panduleni Itula, obtained 27%. A presidential candidate must secure more than 50% of the votes to avoid a runoff.
Swapo, which has governed Namibia since its independence in 1990, is facing mounting public dissatisfaction over unemployment, corruption, and inequality. The party’s support in 2019 stood at 65.5%. This year’s elections come as Namibia anticipates economic transformation through significant offshore oil and gas discoveries in the Orange Basin by TotalEnergies and Shell, adding urgency to the political stakes.
The voting process, originally scheduled to end on November 27, was extended in some areas due to ballot paper shortages and technical failures with voting devices. More than 1.4 million people were registered to vote, with results from Namibia’s 121 constituencies expected over the weekend.
The IPC has raised concerns about the integrity of the election process, hinting at possible interference. The Electoral Commission of Namibia has urged citizens to remain calm and patient, assuring transparency and fairness in the ongoing vote count.
