Namibia’s Opposition Rejects Election Results Amid Voting Issues
Namibia’s opposition party, the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC), says it won’t accept the results of the 2024 general election. BBC reports that voting started on Wednesday but continued in some areas until Saturday because of problems like a lack of ballot papers and broken equipment.
Panduleni Itula, the IPC’s presidential candidate, claims the election was full of irregularities and calls the process “illegitimate.” Itula was running against Swapo’s Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, who hopes to make history as Namibia’s first female president. Swapo, the ruling party since Namibia’s independence in 1990, has faced growing criticism and declining support in recent years, according to BBC.
Namibia, with a population of about three million, has half of its people registered to vote. However, BBC explains that many faced challenges due to delays and mismanagement. The IPC is urging people who couldn’t vote to file complaints with the police. Itula says the party will challenge the results in court but has called for peace while they seek justice.
Early vote counts show Nandi-Ndaitwah leading with 48% compared to Itula’s 30%. If no candidate gets more than half the votes, the election will go to a second round.
BBC highlights that Swapo, a key figure in Namibia’s liberation struggle, has seen its support drop in recent elections.
This situation mirrors struggles faced by other liberation movements in southern Africa. For instance, South Africa’s ANC lost its majority in May, and Botswana’s ruling party was ousted after decades in power.
BBC’s coverage underlines the shifting political landscape in the region as citizens demand more from their leaders.
Credit : BBC
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cjdld7xljk7o