Be patient – Kudumo tells electorate as election results trickle in

Public policy analyst Marius Kudumo has called for calm while results of the recently held national elections continue to trickle in from the Electoral Commission of Namibia.

“We have to wait until we have adequate information in order for us to make informed conclusions on the elections,” he said to Desert FM on Tuesday.

This comes as Swapo presidential candidate Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah sustains her lead over opposition political parties.

She has, so far, garnered more than 50% of votes from counted ballots.

Swapo and its presidential candidate are leading in unconventional areas such as the south, which some people would classify as the Landless People’s Movement (LPM) stronghold.

Kudumo said Swapo and Nandi-Ndaitwah’s lead could be because of the vice president’s personality as well as her anti-corruption mantra.

“I think there were many dynamics at play, but I think the personality, as well as some of the issues that she has raised of inclusivity, and paying attention to the youth, might have influenced some of the people to vote otherwise,” he said.

He said LPM struggled to keep dominance in their traditional strongholds in the south.

“It’s too early to say, but if it continues, they are likely to lose the official opposition status,” he said.

Kudumo said the presidential and National Assembly elections might see the death of smaller political parties.

“There are parties that are in existence that are not doing well. For example, when you look at the Rally for Democracy and Progress and other parties, they are not doing well and obviously, there are many factors,” Kudumo said.