Namibia president wins in tight race

WINDHOEK, Namibia — Namibia’s president won another term Saturday but the longtime ruling party lost its powerful two-thirds majority in its most challenging election since independence nearly 30 years ago.

The southern African nation’s electoral commission said President Hage Geingob received 56% of the vote while opposition challenger Dr. Panduleni Itula had 29%. Itula made history as the first independent candidate for the presidency, though he retained his ruling party membership.

The results showed a sharp decrease in support for Geingob from 87% in the previous election in 2014. Public frustration has been high over corruption scandals and unemployment.

“It was a tough campaign,” Geingob said. “I campaigned like hell.”

Itula did not attend the announcement of the final results.

The ruling South West Africa People’s Organization party, which has been in power since independence from South Africa in 1990, received 63% of the vote in the National Assembly race while the Popular Democratic Movement gained seats with 16%. The percentages are roughly equal to the number of seats won. The South West Africa People’s Organization won 77 seats in the previous election.

Some 1.3 million voters were registered for Wednesday’s election. Turnout was 60%.

While troubles were reported with some electronic voting machines, a preliminary statement by observer missions called the election free, fair and “generally peaceful.” It said 62% of polling stations opened on time.

Some Namibians expressed frustration over what they considered the slow pace of vote-counting.