---
title: "Namibia's ruling party takes lead in election results"
description: "WINDHOEK- Namibia's ruling SWAPO party led both the presidential and parliamentary races on Tuesday, a week after voting took place in an election marred by technical challenges."
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "Namibian elections"
author: "Reuters"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/reuters/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2024-12-03-namibias-ruling-party-takes-lead-in-election-results/"
published: "2024-12-03T12:33:27"
updated: "2024-12-03T12:33:29"
lang: "en-ZA"
word_count: 205
---

# Namibia's ruling party takes lead in election results

> WINDHOEK- Namibia's ruling SWAPO party led both the presidential and parliamentary races on Tuesday, a week after voting took place in an election marred by technical challenges.

By Reuters · Published 3 December 2024, 14:33 SAST · Updated 3 December 2024, 14:33 SAST

## Key points
- In a race where technical hiccups turned polling stations into pop-up voting venues, Namibia's Vice President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah is on the brink of making history as the country's first female leader, currently leading the presidential race with a comfortable 54.82%—assuming the ballot paper gremlins don't strike again.
- SWAPO's Vice President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah is the presidential candidate, aiming to become Namibia's first female leader.
- Voting was extended due to technical issues and ballot shortages, with results initially expected after the Nov. 27 poll.
- Nandi-Ndaitwah currently leads with 54.82% of the vote, while a candidate must secure over 50% to avoid a run-off.
- SWAPO also leads the National Assembly vote with 56.38%, while opposition candidate Panduleni Itula trails at 28.09%.

## Content

SWAPO, which has governed the southern African nation since leading it to independence from apartheid South Africa in 1990, fielded Vice President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah as its presidential candidate. If victorious, she would become Namibia's first female leader.

Results were initially expected a few days after the Nov. 27 poll, but voting was extended to Nov. 29 and Nov. 30 at several polling stations after some voters were unable to cast their ballots on election day due to technical difficulties and ballot paper shortages.

At 0636 GMT, the electoral commission's [election portal](https://www.elections.na/PresidentialBallot.aspx) showed Nandi-Ndaitwah was leading the presidential race with 54.82% of the vote after 65.57% of votes had been counted.

To win the presidency, a candidate must secure over 50% of votes, failing which a run-off is required.

Namibians vote separately for members of the National Assembly, and SWAPO led the ballot with 56.38% of the 66.39% of the votes tallied.

Opposition [candidate](https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?search=all%3AL8N3MK18N&linkedFromStory=true) Panduleni Itula and his Independent Patriots for Change trailed a distant second, with 28.09% of the presidential vote and 19.23% of the vote for the National Assembly.

The timeline for the final result announcement was unclear.

(Reporting by Nyasha Nyaungwa; writing by Tannur Anders; editing by Olivia Kumwenda-Mtambo and Lincoln Feast.)