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Namibia made history on Tuesday as Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, 72, was elected the nation’s first female president, according to official results released by the Electoral Commission of Namibia. Running under the ruling SWAPO party, which has held power for 34 years, Nandi-Ndaitwah secured her victory with approximately 57% of the votes.

In her acceptance speech, the president-elect expressed gratitude to Namibians for choosing “peace and stability” and vowed to continue working towards the nation’s development.

Panduleni Itula, leader of the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) and Nandi-Ndaitwah’s main opponent, finished second with 26% of the votes. He, however, described the election as “deeply flawed” and announced plans to challenge the results in court.

The electoral process was extended by three days beyond the original voting day due to technical difficulties and ballot paper shortages, causing a delay in the announcement of results. These issues have further fueled Itula’s allegations of irregularities.

Nandi-Ndaitwah, who has served as Namibia’s vice president, brings decades of political experience to her new role. Her election marks a significant milestone for Namibia and gender equality in leadership across Africa.

Despite the controversy surrounding the polls, her victory has been celebrated as a landmark achievement for women in politics and a testament to Namibia’s commitment to progress.