2024 Namibian general election explained

Country:Namibia
Previous Election:2019 Namibian general election
Previous Year:2019
Election Date:27–30 November 2024
Next Election:2029 Namibian general election
Next Year:2029
Registered:1,449,569
Reporting:100
Last Update:18:34
Time Zone:CAT
Module:
Embed:yes
Election Name:Presidential election
Type:presidential
Nominee1:Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah
Party1:SWAPO
Popular Vote1:638,560
Percentage1:58.07%
Nominee2:Panduleni Itula
Party2:Independent Patriots for Change
Popular Vote2:284,106
Percentage2:25.84%
Image3:McHenry Venaani speech 2017 (cropped).jpg
Nominee3:McHenry Venaani
Party3:Popular Democratic Movement
Popular Vote3:55,412
Percentage3:5.04%
President
Before Election:Nangolo Mbumba
Before Party:SWAPO
After Election:Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah
After Party:SWAPO
Map Size:300px
Module:
Embed:yes
Election Name:Parliamentary election
Seats For Election:96 of the 104 seats in the National Assembly
Majority Seats:49
Turnout:76.48% (15.66pp)
Reporting:100
Last Update:18:33
Time Zone:CAT
Party1:SWAPO
Leader1:Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah
Percentage1:53.37
Seats1:51
Last Election1:63
Party2:Independent Patriots for Change
Leader2:Panduleni Itula
Percentage2:20.20
Seats2:20
Last Election2:New
Party3:Affirmative Repositioning
Leader3:Job Amupanda
Percentage3:6.61
Seats3:6
Last Election3:New
Party4:Popular Democratic Movement
Leader4:McHenry Venaani
Percentage4:5.48
Seats4:5
Last Election4:16
Party5:Landless People's Movement (Namibia)
Leader5:Bernadus Swartbooi
Percentage5:5.21
Seats5:5
Last Election5:4
Party6:United Democratic Front (Namibia)
Leader6:Hendrik Gaobaeb
Percentage6:1.54
Seats6:1
Last Election6:2
Party7:Namibian Economic Freedom Fighters
Leader7:Epafras Mukwiilongo
Percentage7:1.07
Seats7:1
Last Election7:2
Party8:SWANU
Leader8:Evilastus Kaaronda
Percentage8:1.05
Seats8:1
Last Election8:1
Party9:Republican Party (Namibia)
Leader9:Henk Mudge
Percentage9:1.00
Seats9:1
Last Election9:2
Party10:National Unity Democratic Organisation
Leader10:Esther Muinjangue
Percentage10:0.98
Seats10:1
Last Election10:2
Party11:All People's Party (Namibia)
Leader11:Ambrosius Kumbwa
Percentage11:0.66
Seats11:1
Last Election11:2
Party12:National Democratic Party (Namibia)
Leader12:Martin Lukato
Percentage12:0.61
Seats12:1
Last Election12:0
Party13:BCP
Colour13:
  1. 7c64fc
Leader13:Festus Thomas
Percentage13:0.53
Seats13:1
Last Election13:New

General elections were held in Namibia to elect a new president and members of the National Assembly.[1] [2] [3] Initially scheduled on 27 November 2024, these were later extended in some areas to 30 November due to poor planning. Opposition parties decried the move, boycotting the declaration of results and pledging to challenge the results of the election in court. They were the country's seventh general elections since gaining independence from apartheid South Africa in 1990.

On 3 December 2024, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah of the ruling SWAPO party was declared the winner of the election. She is set to become Namibia's first female president. The National Assembly results were SWAPO's weakest showing since Namibia's independence in 1990.

Background

Outgoing president Hage Geingob died on 4 February 2024 while receiving treatment for cancer and was replaced by his vice-president, Nangolo Mbumba, who will serve out the remainder of his term, which expires on 21 March 2025.[4] Mbumba has announced that he has no intention of running for president.

In 2019, the ruling SWAPO party received 56% of the vote, down from 87% in 2014. SWAPO, which gained its base fighting against apartheid in 1990, is seemingly losing support among youth voters, who are dissatisfied with low employment rates. The current unemployment rate is around 20%.[5]

Prior to the election, online misinformation campaigns targeted various candidates. These campaigns included false allegations of opposition candidate Panduleni Itula being a "British agent"; purported footage of another opposition candidate, Bernadus Swartbooi, making tribalist statements towards Itula; and an artificially-generated image of SWAPO candidate Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah fainting at rallies. Various politicians accused the Zimbabwean ZANU–PF of spreading false information.[6]

Electoral system

The President of Namibia is elected using the two-round system; if no candidate receives more than 50% in the first round of voting, a run-off will be held. No previous presidential votes in Namibia have gone to a second round.[7]

The 104 members of the National Assembly consist of 96 elected members and eight (non-voting) members appointed by the president.[8] The 96 elected members are elected by closed list proportional representation from one nationwide constituency. Seats are allocated using the largest remainder method.[9]

Presidential candidates

As president, Geingob was ineligible for re-election after having served two consecutive terms, he selected deputy prime minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah to run for president as a candidate of his party, the South West Africa People's Organisation (SWAPO), of which she is also vice-president, in 2023.[10] Upon Geingob's death, she was appointed vice president by president Mbumba. She will become the first female president of Namibia.[11]

Fourteen others are also running for president in the election.[12] These include 2019 presidential candidate Panduleni Itula of the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC), the main opposition candidate, Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) leader McHenry Venaani, former deputy minister Bernadus Swartbooi of the Landless People’s Movement (LPM), and former Windhoek mayor Job Amupanda of Affirmative Repositioning (AR).[13]

Conduct

Voting was marred by logistical and technical problems such as malfunctioning voter identification tablets and insufficient ballot papers, causing long queues and the extension of voting hours by the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) until 28 November. The IPC accused the ECN of "deliberately suppressing voters and deliberately trying to frustrate voters from casting their vote".[14] Following complaints from opposition parties, the ECN announced a further extension of voting hours for 29 and 30 November at 36 selected polling locations in Windhoek as well as in the Kunene, Oshana and Oshikoto regions.[15] [16] Representatives of the IPC, PDM and AR expressed dissatisfaction with the limited selection of polling locations for the voting extension.[17] Legal experts and the IPC have called into question the legality of the voting extension.[18] [19] African Union (AU) election observers criticised the ECN's decision to extend voting for causing confusion.[20] The IPC accused the ECN of "deliberately trying to dissuade voters from voting".[21] The AU observer mission gave the ECN a transparency score of just 50%.

On 29 November, the ECN extended voting until the night of 30 November. The IPC alleged that this extension was illegal and accused SWAPO of committing fraud. Election monitors, consisting of southern African human rights lawyers, claimed that delays were intentional. Panduleni Itula declared that "the IPC shall not recognize the outcome of that election."[22] [21] The opposition refused to recognise the results[23] and announced plans to file legal challenges.[24]

A preliminary investigation by the AU carried out on 29 November did not find evidence of election misconduct.[25]

On 3 December, the ECN declared Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah the winner of the election.[26]

Results

National Assembly

By constituency

ConstituencySWAPOIPCARPDMLPMUDFSWANURPNDPOtherTotal
Aminuis18922553832527012204893166825631
Anamulenge690985527738871421928203
Arandis2515265380244861056128286344258362
Aranos15465595220211781125447501514171
Berseba1860246544242048131351101414860
Dâures159391815475936811992343294145680
Daweb104737279481179126553782879
Eengodi611211712353931915362017804
Eenhana1018621991073103291630112359014260
Elim4796888354433911014276532
Endola8523239998013179338343912532
Engela7518195968420113152761032410757
Epembe4593549157265814241545512
Epukiro11081722152817143313863312710
Epupa41302191305411916272828310235
Etayi107921937590114918260625813750
Gibeon118510522511561911165913056
Gobabis42121442356708143850405613475989869
Grootfontein588319687789501072222161409587411998
Guinas20474901301095193812369963486
John Pandeni4559340919869681383174317513868513570
Judea Lyaboloma14954971191322723524159882569
Kabbe North202160381163255431471093161
Kabbe South2239274477812750136532851
Kalahari247367218247468242205284312795324
Kamanjab145436575424183817217671403562
Kapako588290330345474382514366788407
Karasburg East19977951313161949718121202245578
Karasburg West40441595164226500131265213206960
Karibib3080174144561567111555793224718350
Katima Mulilo Rural3463857150310201015334801535491
Katima Mulilo Urban6593215765363896242417137139811971
Katutura Central178916405402147117119868237258889117
Katutura East5284380319466612353533100538361315429
Keetmanshoop Rural1,9364821894292,101613103211145394
Keetmanshoop Urban3422102639740434712224168292059168
Khomasdal4489384820821500194822547018717689015815
Khorixas20874521174003892607125141176200
Kongola19127512321441503714283871773832
Linyanti1550508421962558147584803145
Mankumpi173816134601685441102140
Mariental Rural17313525316711108920391293771
Mariental Urban339178822725527823332176192267929
Mashare351838175314521720451411235559
Moses ǁGaroëb110787150159239158594943029101522058
Mpungu538447810986141814331546263
Mukwe476614203241599683132235116429956
Musese30682894423317917553083995
Ncamagoro14771803113414912311351996
Ncuncuni15652898815046710352462409
Ndiyona223638266259301513160105013672
Ndonga Linena2586594613602213111174584123
Nehale lyaMpingana443059818543311719171425473
Nkurenkuru44577263411372071916201905933
Ogongo5453627254325913331306529
Ohangwena779221767022122323315648611456
Okahandja6594356713471184148353619555610583516402
Okahao827012395485510122411114910319
Okakarara18677941142728105168601914425559202
Okaku6050245876112622202821552310005
Okalongo108221698432792315203324113336
Okankolo48088982532951415242086236
Okatana6093195578710019105564349414
Okatyali13986541411643502682291
Okongo99131227424839192921626311994
Okorukambe1997402814295304492157161843932
Olukonda3499198158464151612122136387
Omaruru193710342527152643776764122664988
Omatako2887126350181326472182113457546894
Ompundja191650810217310313772640
Omulonga8402153936766617266231710748
Omundaungilo4964510150343711812195907
Omuntele6006204229230922234112138652
Omuthiyagwiipundi8002365295710829272651251713335
Onayena463415295323311918421156887
Ondangwa Rural333019651122121331118453826991
Ondangwa Urban791966812682396251302184299719027
Ondobe9220142439762919297133011498
Onesi714886324478291728261438558
Ongenga73821675492906920662569942
Ongwediva921446162470273481336111956817268
Oniipa5025248868688321225112978655
Onyaanya6689217842441171921162619657
Opuwo Rural1005202100371430292459115345879
Opuwo Urban3771790399330746496914155599019
Oranjemund28522141777204840151950302957223
Oshakati East920156051634478501723101171717746
Oshakati West8028401513843093922129714576
Oshikango955322524902062720327848713082
Oshikuku637012236578881115042828658
Oshikunde61715561943761216741837186
Otamanzi5586641177306171233786553
Otavi3620146253935064115542141444897483
Otjinene93722135964116134782061278 (1183 NUDO)4068
Otjiwarongo65063774118517642061105520223372118818040
Otjombinde96223523462256163551562212551
Outapi176592790129613223223751234922325
Outjo268696617681165111233514603876981
Rehoboth Rural16704574819366314124591833294
Rehoboth Urban East3066117115537515488221158165937185
Rehoboth Urban West137015331365771159239220126165655
Ruacana62791062429606291982192448760
Rundu Rural2,77048712926341162014156424397
Rundu Urban151533951158314475039579199178240825596
Samora Machel88066487204286314622132263839108121257
Sesfontein131945915462460112016572013965
Sibbinda211310281023471966715302374459
Swakopmund744010187192611021601125112380342118125656
Tobias Hainyeko79954285123733348812653335783815445
Tondoro40533229228222219991584977
Tsandi12477151448566822252421514818
Tsumeb54282984978602967225391264760412000
Tsumkwe21803106228419725550158201543940
Uukwiyu352215194674115418452555850
Uuvudhiya2103348110253870423802783
Walvis Bay Rural54246704152763069825268724569816118
Walvis Bay Urban650684511860514589218622704369919212
Windhoek East7242829334891138930144228130012782623717
Windhoek Rural58224776216488120541411555916678517435
Windhoek West1059792445013182122262583961057319118532116
ǃNamiǂNûs33282622526229989111629193398108
Total5833002208097222759839569711682811484109426647536381092685
Percent53.3820.216.615.485.211.541.051.000.614.91100.0
Constituencies104604511001121
Source: ECN

Aftermath

On 3 December 2024, Nandi-Ndaitwah was declared the victor with 57% of the vote, avoiding a runoff election which was predicted to occur.[27] [28] She became the first woman to be elected as president of Namibia[29] and will be one of two women presidents in Africa, alongside Samia Suluhu Hassan of Tanzania. In a speech to supporters, Nandi-Ndaitwah stated "the Namibian nation has voted for peace and stability." The results showed the weakest showing for SWAPO since Namibia's independence, with the party barely receiving a majority in parliament. Bloomberg identified the result as "broad policy continuity in a nation that's on the verge of becoming a major hydrocarbons producer", noting the recent discovery of offshore deposits in the Orange Basin.[30]

Panduleni Itula, the second-place candidate, declared that there was a "multitude of irregularities" and would "fight... to nullify the elections through the processes that are established within our electoral process." Opposition parties pledged to challenge the election extension in court.[31] Itula criticized the opening of only selective polling stations, which may have prevented thousands of voters from casting their vote. The opposition parties boycotted the announcement of the official results that took place in Windhoek.[32] Calls for a repeat of the election by the opposition was rejected by the ECN. The Forum of German-Speaking Namibians noted that doubts caused by the extension can lead to governmental distrust, and "it is in the hands of the ECN to avoid this slippery path to chaos and violence."[33]

Notes and References

  1. News: Matthys . Donald . 8 March 2024 . ECN releases timetable for 27 November elections . . en-ZA . 20 April 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240420080311/https://www.namibian.com.na/ecn-releases-timetable-for-27-november-elections/ . live .
  2. Web site: 7 March 2024 . Namibia's 2024 general elections slated for November 27 . African Press Agency . en-US . 18 March 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240318120502/https://apanews.net/namibias-2024-general-elections-slated-for-november-27/ . live .
  3. News: Matthys . Donald . 7 March 2024 . Namibia votes on 27 November . . en-ZA.
  4. News: Namibian President Hage Geingob dies in a hospital where he was receiving treatment, his office says . . 4 February 2024 . 4 February 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240204140622/https://apnews.com/article/namibia-president-hage-geingob-dies-hospital-f01eb59f2ea02c9459ffa96b0c25e0e0 . live .
  5. News: Nyaungwa . Nyasha . 25 November 2024 . Namibia to vote in toughest election yet for ruling party . Reuters.
  6. News: 26 November 2024 . Namibia Fact Check Warns of Foreign Influence and Smear Campaigns Targeting Itula Ahead of Elections . . en-ZA . 26 November 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20241126132355/https://allafrica.com/stories/202411260077.html . live .
  7. News: Namibia's Ruling Party Faces Unexpectedly Challenging Vote . . . 24 November 2019 . 28 November 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191128172043/https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2019/11/24/world/africa/ap-af-namibia-election-preview.html . live .
  8. https://www.lac.org.na/projects/grap/Pdf/Gov2_Three_Branches_of_Government.pdf The Three Branches of Government
  9. http://archive.ipu.org/parline-e/reports/2225_B.htm Electoral system
  10. News: Namibia: President names Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah woman successor . . 13 March 2023 . 4 February 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240204154048/https://www.africanews.com/2023/03/13/namibian-president-names-netumbo-nandi-ndaitwah-woman-successor// . live .
  11. News: Hage Geingob: Namibia's president dies aged 82 . . 4 February 2024 . 4 February 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240204151557/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-68196412 . live .
  12. News: Is Namibia going to elect its first female leader? . . 26 November 2024 . 27 November 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20241127203908/https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwy5z9enx0do . live .
  13. News: Peyton . Nelly . Main candidates in Namibia's presidential election . . 20 November 2024 . 21 November 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20241121033720/https://www.cnbcafrica.com/2024/main-candidates-in-namibias-presidential-election/ . live .
  14. News: Namibia extends voting after logistical issues . . 28 November 2024 .
  15. Web site: 28 November 2024 . VOTING CONTINUES . https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20241128211158/https://www.facebook.com/TheNamibianNewspaper/posts/pfbid02ZtPJ7o3jp4FYjpyH5BzqLEjA9N2sqJYQwBMsYbr7R1gwUWLH1TGu72EsDUwU6n65l . 28 November 2024 . Facebook - The Namibian . live .
  16. Web site: 30 November 2024 . Namibia faces election chaos as voting extended after 'irregularities' . Al Jazeera . en-GB.
  17. News: Petersen . Shelleygan . Namene . John-Colin . 28 November 2024 . Selected polling stations not solving problem – opposition parties . . en-ZA . 29 November 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20241129034552/https://www.namibian.com.na/selected-polling-stations-not-solving-problem-opposition-parties/ . live .
  18. Web site: Petersen . Shelleygan . 29 November 2024 . President Mbumba's election extension proclamation unlawful – lawyer . The Namibian . en-ZA . 30 November 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20241130012411/https://www.namibian.com.na/president-mbumbas-election-extension-proclamation-unlawful-lawyer/ . live .
  19. Web site: 29 November 2024 . UNCONSTITUTIONAL EXTENSION . https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20241129141103/https://www.facebook.com/ObserverNamibia/posts/pfbid02vXmLd5brHtu7oj7z9ZT8pMxxnM8SF5PsSJigZ7Hysc6AP918N8VVCaJgondW4T2sl . 29 November 2024 . Facebook - Windhoek Observer . live .
  20. Web site: Petersen . Shelleygan . 29 November 2024 . AU election observers say ECN is causing confusion with election extension . The Namibian . en-ZA.
  21. News: 30 November 2024 . Africa Namibia opposition leader says party will not recognize vote . VOA . AFP. en-GB.
  22. Web site: 29 November 2024 . Namibia's decision to extend election voting due to technical issues draws opposition complaints . AP News . en.
  23. Web site: 2024-12-01 . Namibia election: Opposition candidate Itula refuses to recognise poll result . 2024-12-01 . BBC News . en-GB.
  24. Web site: 2 December 2024 . Namibia’s female VP leads in presidential election marred by problems and opposition complaints . AP News . en.
  25. Web site: Kodjo . Tchioffo . PRELIMINARY STATEMENT: African Union Election Observation Mission to the Republic of Namibia, 27 November General Elections, Windhoek, 29 November 2024 . 1 December 2024 . African Union, Peace and Security Department . en.
  26. Web site: Savage . Rachel . Namibia elects its first female president in disputed elections . 4 December 2024 . The Guardian. en.
  27. News: Namibia will have its first female leader after VP wins presidential election for the ruling party . 4 December 2024 . AP News . 3 December 2024 . en.
  28. News: Namibia elects Nandi-Ndaitwah as first woman president . 4 December 2024 . DW . 3 December 2024 . en.
  29. News: Namibia elects its first woman president . 4 December 2024 . France 24 . AFP-Agence France Presse . 3 December 2024 . en.
  30. News: Nhongo . Kaula . Namibia Ruling Party Retains Power in Worst Election Showing . 4 December 2024 . Bloomberg . 3 December 2024 . en.
  31. News: Namibia elects country’s first woman president . 4 December 2024 . Al Jazeera . 3 December 2024 . en.
  32. News: Zane . Damian . Namibia election: Swapo's Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah elected first female president . 4 December 2024 . BBC . BBC News . 3 December 2024.
  33. News: Mumbuu . Edward . ECN slammed over electoral conduct . 4 December 2024 . New Era Live . 2 December 2024.

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