Namibian presidential candidate Panduleni Itula, the main challenger to the ruling Swapo party, announced on Saturday, November 30, that he would “not recognize the result” of the recent elections, citing widespread organizational failures that prevented many voters from casting their ballots.
“These elections cannot be considered free, fair, or legitimate,” Itula declared, regardless of the outcome. The election, which began on Wednesday morning, stretched over four days and concluded at 9:00 p.m. local time (7:00 p.m. UTC).
In the capital, Windhoek, hundreds of voters stood in long lines at the city’s only polling station. Some waited up to 12 hours under scorching heat to cast their votes.
The Electoral Commission of Namibia attributed the chaos to logistical issues, including shortages of ballot papers and technical failures in electronic devices used for voter identification. As these problems persisted, queues continued to grow.
This election has drawn significant attention from young voters, who make up 42% of the 1.5 million registered voters. Many are deeply concerned about unemployment and social inequalities, driving their engagement in the process.
The race is particularly close between Swapo’s candidate, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, and Itula, his main opponent.
As Namibia, a country known for its political stability and democracy, faces this contentious election, it risks entering its most serious institutional crisis since gaining independence in 1990.