“The Namibian people have spoken, in their majority. They have written a new chapter in the history of our constitutional democracy by electing the first female president of the Republic of Namibia.

   “On behalf of the government and the people of Namibia, I congratulate her excellency Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah on her brilliant and historic victory,” Mbumba said. “I have no doubt that under her capable and compassionate leadership, the future of the Namibian people can only be brighter,” he added.

   Mbumba further congratulated Swapo for winning the majority of seats and wished all the candidates who will be going to the 8th National Assembly of the Republic of Namibia the best of luck.

   “I encourage the new members of the National Assembly to be exemplary and to prepare thoroughly for the legislative tasks that lie ahead.

   Swapo vice president Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has been elected as Namibia’s fifth president, making history as the country’s first woman to hold this position.

   She won with 638 560 votes, followed by Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) leader Panduleni Itula with 284 186 votes.

   This was announced by the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) chairperson of commissioners Elsie Nghikembua on Tuesday evening.

   “In the presidential elections,15 candidates participated … by the powers vested in me as the chairperson of the ECN, [I] do hereby declare that Nandi-Ndaitwah has been duly elected the president of Namibia,” Nghikembua said.

   Opposition leaders boycotted the announcement of the 2024 election results, excluding Affirmative Repositioning leader Job Amupanda.

   The Landless People’s Movement and the Independent Patriots for Change confirmed they would not attend the announcement of results by the ECN.

   Opposition parties are preparing to challenge the results in court, citing a lack of transparency, recurrent technical problems and potential voter disenfranchisement among their complaints.

   Who is Nandi-Ndaitwah?

   Ndemupelila Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah was born on 29 October 1952 to Justina Nekoto Shaduka-Nandi and Petrus Nandi at Onamutai in northern Namibia. She was the ninth of 13 children.

   Her father was an Anglican clergyman, and she attended the well-known St Mary’s Mission School at Odibo. She later taught at the school, before going into exile. “Growing up, political activities were also not very far from me,” she told.

   “I could see Swapo activities being organised by the likes of Kaxumba Kandola. They would come near our house to hold meetings because there were big trees for shade,” she said.

   After independence, she steadily climbed the ranks of the government. She claimed victories with greater legal protections for women and children, and earned accolades for her environmental work. Before Swapo’s congress, members keep their cards close to their chests.

   Even so, current minister of environment, forestry and tourism Pohamba Shifeta describes Nandi-Ndaitwah as someone who provides leadership. “She is fair in her approach to dealing with matters,” he says.

   After the 2012 Swapo congress, Nandi-Ndaitwah seemed poised to become Namibia’s first woman vice president –part of a deal brokered to win Pohamba Shifeta’s support for Geingob’s presidency.

   When Geingob reneged, her supporters rallied and pushed Geingob to combine the deputy prime minister and international relations portfolios.

   Nandi-Ndaitwah was notably absent when Geingob announced his first Cabinet – feeding speculation she was planning to snub him if he were to appoint her as deputy prime minister only.