77-year-old Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah is the current Vice President and a prominent figure in Namibian politics since the country gained independence from apartheid South Africa in 1990.
The South West Africa People's Organisation (SWAPO) presidential candidate Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah clenches her fist as she attends a campaign rally in Windhoek. (Photo by SIMON MAINA/AFP via Getty Images)
77-year-old Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah is the current Vice President and a prominent figure in Namibian politics since the country gained independence from apartheid South Africa in 1990.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu (R) meets Namibia's Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah (L) in New York. (Photo by Cem Ozdel/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
She joined the ruling South West Africa People’s Organisation (SWAPO) party at a young age and played a significant role in the independence movement during the 1970s, according to Al Jazeera.
Supporters of the South West Africa People's Organisation (SWAPO) presidential candidate Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah hold her portrait as they take part in a campaign rally in Windhoek. (Photo by SIMON MAINA/AFP via Getty Images)
Despite predictions that there would be a runoff, Nandi-Ndaitwah won the presidential election on Tuesday, Dec. 3, with approximately 57% of the votes.
However, the main opposition party has rejected the results citing technical problems, including a shortage of ballot papers that led to long waiting times for voters.
Voters queue at a polling station at the Sam Nujoma stadium in Windhoek. (Photo by SIMON MAINA/AFP via Getty Images)
As a result, the voting was supposed to end on Nov. 27, but was extended to Nov. 30 and some voters gave up after waiting for up to 12 hours, according to Al Jazeera.
A woman reads a newspapers as other voters wait in line for the polls to open at the Transnamib Hall polling station in Windhoek. (Photo by SIMON MAINA/AFP via Getty Images)
The opposition called it an illegal act to frustrate voters and pledged to join together to appeal to invalidate the election, according to AP.
Voters wait in line to cast their ballots at a polling station in Windhoek. (Photo by SIMON MAINA/AFP via Getty Images)
But the Electoral Commission of Namibia has rejected the opposition's calls for a redo of the vote.
A woman casts her ballot at polling station in Windhoek. (Photo by SIMON MAINA/AFP via Getty Images)
In her victory speech, Nandi-Ndaitwah said that “Namibia has voted for peace and stability.”
Her win is significant as the SWAPO party’s votes have been decreasing in previous elections due to young voters’ dissatisfaction with the economy and unemployment, which is estimated to be around 46% among young people.
Namibia's Foreign Affairs minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah (R) and former Mozambican President Joaquim Chissano and head of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) give a press conference in Antananarivo. (Photo credit should read ALEXANDER JOE/AFP via Getty Images)
Nandi-Ndaitwah will take over the presidency on Dec. 9.
Kassy Cho
Kassy Cho
Kassy Cho
