Windhoek: Swapo Party vice president and Namibian President-elect, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, has dismissed criticism that her electoral victory lacked merit, asserting that it was achieved through the ballot paper.
According to Namibia Press Agency, criticism has emerged from some members of the public and political parties who intend to challenge the results of the 2024 Presidential and National Assembly elections, as announced by the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) on Tuesday. These critics claim that the elections were not free and fair, citing logistical issues, a three-day extension at selected polling stations, and a shortage of ballot papers at various locations across the country.
During a press conference in Windhoek on Thursday, Nandi-Ndaitwah emphasized that her election was not decided in a boardroom but through the votes cast by over 600,000 Namibians who recognized her merits. “I am not listening to those critics, but to the Namibian people who have better judgment because I am not elected
in a boardroom, I am elected in the ballot paper,” she stated.
Nandi-Ndaitwah secured 638,560 votes, representing 57.31 percent, in the election featuring 15 presidential candidates. Her closest rival, Panduleni Itula of the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC), received 284,106 votes, accounting for 25.50 percent.
The President-elect further remarked that the recent elections demonstrate that democracy is functioning well in Namibia. “I can at this stage comfortably say we are in a good space economically and democratically,” she noted.
Nandi-Ndaitwah also highlighted her historic achievement of becoming the first woman to hold the highest office in Namibia, emphasizing the importance of equal responsibility for women and men in society. “Recognising that I am breaking and making the glass door bigger for women to follow, it must be clear that I am not elected because I am a woman…But I am elected as a Namibian citizen with the quality and capability to lead this country and as a women activist we don’t
want to be wheelbarrowed,” she expressed.