Namibians vote in presidential, parliamentary elections

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) - People were waiting in long lines outside polling stations in Namibia on Wednesday to elect the next president of the southern African nation as well as 104 lawmakers.

Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, 72, the current vice president, is the presidential candidate of the ruling South West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO), which has been in power for 34 years.

There are 1.4 million registered voters in the sparsely populated country of 3 million people.

Fifteen political parties are competing for the position of president as well as seats in the National Assembly.

In a video statement after casting his vote, Lawrence Sampofu, governor of the northeastern Zambezi region, urged people to come out and exercise their democratic right to cast their vote.

If Nandi-Ndaitwah wins the election, she will become Namibia’s first female president.​​​​​​​