Fatshimetrie, Namibia’s political news has recently been marked by a turbulent general election. One of the opposition presidential candidates has been highly critical of the conduct of the vote, citing delays, logistical and technical glitches. Initial partial results appeared to place Independent Patriots for Change candidate Panduleni Itula in second place behind SWAPO candidate Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, the current vice-president.
Electoral authorities decided to extend voting until Saturday, after a chaotic election day on Wednesday, marked by long queues resulting from logistical and technological problems. Itula reacted strongly to the decision, saying that extending voting over several days undermined the credibility of the electoral process. He announced that his party would reject the results and seek to have them annulled, suggesting that a legal challenge could be considered.
The Chairperson of the Electoral Commission of Namibia, Elsie Nghikembua, acknowledged that many people were unable to vote due to logistical challenges. These incidents come amid tense regional circumstances, as Mozambique is gripped by violent unrest following the ruling party’s disputed re-election, leading to allegations of electoral fraud and violent protests in the southern African country.
These recent events underscore the critical importance of a transparent, efficient and fair electoral process to ensure the legitimacy of the results and public confidence in democracy. The Namibian authorities will now face the challenge of restoring citizens’ trust in the electoral system and addressing legitimate concerns raised by political parties and civil society. In these uncertain and contested times, democracy in Namibia is being tested, but its ability to overcome these challenges will strengthen its legitimacy and resilience in the long term.