Swapo Party vice president Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has retained her current position in the ruling party, garnering 491 votes against her closest competitor Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila’s 270 votes.

Fellow party VP contender Pohamba Shifeta walked away with 91 votes.

Nandi-Ndaitwah, 70, is cementing power to contest as 2024 National Presidential candidate, and if she emerges victorious, will be the first female President of Namibia.

The party results were announced by elections Returning Officer Joshua Kaumbi, at about 13h00 on Monday, following the completion of the voting process at a local hotel in Windhoek.

Sophia Shaningwa retained the secretary general (SG) position after getting 430 votes, against 343 votes for her competitor Armas Amukwiyu.

Uahekua Herunga who contested for deputy secretary general scooped 363 votes, Evelyn Nawases-Taayele got 326 and David Hamutenya obtained 92 votes.

A re-run will be held for the position of deputy secretary general as neither of the candidates obtained the majority vote of over 50 per cent as required. However only two candidates, Herunga and Hamutenya qualify for the re-run.

The two male candidates enter the race based on the party’s 50/50 gender balance principle. Two females already head the party in the top four positions alongside the president, Hage Geingob, meaning the final position of deputy SG must be occupied by a male.

They were given two hours to decide if they would go for a re-run, to which they responded in the affirmative.

Over 700 delegates attended the 7th Swapo Party Ordinary Congress which started on Thursday.

The names of the people who were elected to the central committee will be announced at a later stage.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency