Namibia poised to elect first female president

Namibia’s Vice President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah per reports, is likely to become the country’s first female president if she wins the presidential election on Wednesday.

Credible news sources project that over 1.4 million Namibians have thronged polling stations to cast their votes in the upcoming general elections as 15 political parties run for president and seats in the National Assembly.

Nandi-Ndaitwah, (72), has promised to create more jobs and tackle the 20% unemployment rate for young people and graduates. She has pledged to spend approximately 85 billion Namibian dollars ($4.7 billion) over the next five years to create more than 500,000 jobs, a goal that her critics call unrealistic.

Issues affecting women, including reproductive rights, equal pay and healthcare, are also likely to rank high for voters.

If she becomes president, Nandi-Ndaitwah would follow in the footsteps of Liberia’s Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who made history when she became the continent’s first elected female president in 2005, as well as Malawi’s Joyce Banda and Samba Panza of the Central African Republic.

Erika Thomas, a political science lecturer at the University of Namibia, said should Nandi-Ndaitwah be elected as president of Namibia, she must strive to be independent, transparent and accountable.

“She must also try to push for policies and legislation frameworks for women participation and to bring more women into the political structures,” Thomas said.